For the Life that never was
by Elenna-Elemmire
Summary: Lothlorien, the DreamFlower, they say, was perilous to any who dare venture in it. For a survivor of the wilds of Middle Earth, it was just one more mystery for Elenna to venture into...to whatever end. Reviews greatly welcome.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_italics_ - thoughts or memories

xxxxxxxxxxxxx -passage of time

* * *

(Elenna) 

All I have ever known was the whisper of the trees and the calls of the creatures of the forest. Since I could remember I have always lived here, in the wilderness, in the tall green trees and gentle, winding brooks. The tender caress of the winds as I rest under the shade, the laughter of the water, the peaceful silence of the woods, life was all around me.

Before that was nothing more than a faded memory, colors and faces I do not recall anymore, shadows that flash across my mind.

But I do not live in memories, here, I needed to survive. Nature is not friendly at all times; I needed to be on my guard. I have roamed these lands for countless years; I did not survive by mooning over forgotten times of long ago.

No, memories are of no use to me, but on lonely, silent nights, I wondered what these images might mean.

If I had known the love of a mother once, if I had laughed and played with a brother or a sister, if I had found counsel with a father. For I have never known them, never seen them.

I was completely alone.

All I was left with was the memory of my name. Elenna, they called me, Star-wards. The one last clue I had left about my past. The sound of a woman calling my name rang in my memories, a beam of light piercing the fog. An image of a woman with silver hair would surface, but her face was hidden from me, I could not see it.

In my dreams I would reach for her, calling for her, but then she was gone, and I was alone again.

_Naneth, come back to me…_

But if she was my mother, I never knew.

When I was younger I sought refuge with the woodelves of these forests, and they taught me to survive. To listen to the trees and birds, to track my prey and evade the predator, to fight with weapons. I learnt from them the art of secrecy, and skill with the bow and the swords.

But my skill soon exceeded theirs and so I left them. I had taken what I needed. Their parting gift to me were two Noldorin daggers, white handled, engraved with designs of climbing vines, swift and deadly. These I treasured, as I did the memory of the friend who gave them to me.

_These will serve you well Elenna, they are made by the Noldor, in the days of the Last Alliances._ He said, _They were a gift to me, so now I make them a gift to you._

_I will always remember you, I need no trinket to remind me._ I said to him.

_No, you do not, if I remember correctly, you are most gifted in remembering people, especially if they irk you._ He remarked, _But with these, I will always be by your side protecting you, little sister._ He said softly.

_Since when did I need protection, my oh-so-powerful brother?_ I said, and he laughed.

_When the days grow darker, you may be in dire need of them._

_Farewell my friend_

That was the last time I lived among my own kind, and since then, I have not lived among people again. I cherished the silence of the forest, for it was my home. I belonged to it, and I loved every tree and flower.

In the quiet of the night, I would sit in the branches of the highest tree, and look up into the stars. They became my dearest friends, their presence gave me comfort I have never known. For I was named for them, you see, to be drawn to the stars of heaven even more so than the forests of the earth. They sparkled and shone just for me, they were the family I never had. They gave me hope, but of what, I did not know.

During the day, I had no predators after me. My daggers remained at my side. I was invisible in my forest, for we were one. I had learned my lessons in woodcraft well.

When I hungered, I hunted game and picked fruits from the trees. When I thirst, I drank the sweet water of the brook.

I was content.

Occasionally, I would come upon some settlement or the other of men. Then I would sit, hidden in the trees, and watch them. The laughter of the children's play, and the chatter of the women as they did their daily chores, the talk of the men as they worked, I heard all. But it would soon bore me and I would silently slip back into the shadows of the trees, and left them to their business.

I went wherever the winds took me, I had no destination. The world was vast and I wanted to see it all. And so I wandered the plains and forests of Eriador, but I never went any more north than I had to, for there were many settlements of men and elves there that I had no wish to stumble upon; I avoided people whenever possible. When I needed clothing, I would return to the woodelves, but I do not stay long. Their numbers were slowly dwindling.

I never saw my friend again. He left for the shores of Valinor soon after I went to live in the wilderness. The grey elven ships took them faraway onto the high seas.

The sea, I have never, in my journeys, traveled to the shores of middle earth. I had no desire to leave these lands, my beautiful forests, and I still clung the sliver of hope that I would, one day, find the ones I called family. I felt like I had left some task unfinished here, some nagging presence in the back of my mind that told me I could not leave until I did what I needed to do.

Until then, I would not part with my beloved middle earth.

So I walked the paths of the world without care, without worry and without fear. I passed through the lands of Rohan, where the tall grass plains swayed in the wind, and the sky was a blue dome that surrounded me. The horses grazed peacefully, and I walked among them unseen. I visited the forests of Fangorn, the eldest one, and spoke with the sighing trees. That forest seemed like the warm embrace of a mother I had never known, protective, loving, and kind. Yet it could be harsh and reprimanding, like a mother angry at a naughty child. There I stayed the longest, for I did not want to leave its safe boughs of green. I parted with it grudgingly, but I still searched for them, my family.

So it came to pass that I followed the river Anduin and came to the Golden Forest of Laurelindorénan, the land of the singing gold. He had told me about it once, the magnificent forest of the Silvan elves, now called Lothlorien, the Dreamflower, where leaves turned gold and fell in the spring. The only place where the mighty Mallorn grew proud and tall, east of the sundering seas. I slipped in beneath their boughs, and let their presence surround me.

Do not take me for a fool, I knew these woods were heavily guarded, but I knew the trees would hide me from sight. I was just like another creature of the forest, staying hidden in the shadows, as I have all my life, wrapping my grey cloak around me. And then I saw them, the grey shadows between the trees, the guards of Lorien fair, eyes probing in search of intruders, but they saw me not. Yet I still felt a strange presence surrounding me, some power that knew I was there, as I went deeper and deeper into the silent woods.

* * *

(Haldir) 

The woods were silent, not a leaf stirred, still we watched the borders of Lorien, guarding our beloved wood from the evil that stirs beyond its enchantment. It has been peaceful these last years, but it was a watchful peace, for the Dark Lord Sauron was defeated, but not destroyed.

Still Orcs have long ago learnt not to brave the trees, and mortals hold the wood in fear.

I leaned back against the smooth bark of the tree, resting my head, and listened to the silence. Suddenly I thought I heard a faint swishing of a cloak amongst the branches. I sat up and surveyed the tree line. I saw nothing, heard nothing, but I was so sure I had heard it.

"What is it?"

I turned and saw my brother looking down at me with concern.

"Nothing, I had just thought I heard a noise yonder, but I must be mistaken." I replied.

"Indeed, the borders have been quiet lately." He followed my eyes to the place I looked.

"Too quiet."

His eyes scanned the bushes, but finding nothing, we settled again into comfortable silence. A light breeze blew around me and tousled my silver blonde hair.

The trees sighed with the wind. Still, there was a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that something had slipped pass our diligent nets.

"I think I will go and investigate the source of this mysterious noise." I told my brother.

"Suit yourself brother, I will not go running around chasing some noisy squirrel." He replied, "You are too cautious."

"So it would seem." I drawled. "Stay here, I will be back soon."

I leapt down from our perch in the trees and continued into the woods.

The mighty mallorns rose around me, their branches reaching high into the canopy of leaves. All was silent, and I sensed no presence of life, yet I was sure there was something hidden in the shadows beyond my sight.

But there was nothing. I turned and started back to the talan where my brother waited, when I saw a shadow flash between the trees. I looked again, but there was nothing there. But by then I knew, something had gotten past our sharp eyes, and it must – be – found.

I raced back to the talan and silently signaled to my brothers.

_Something is in here, alert the other guards._

They nodded and sent coded calls to the other talans hidden in the woods. I went in search of the silent shadow in the trees. I had not the first clue what it might be, but it must be very skilled in the art of hiding to have gotten past our watchful eyes.

* * *

(Elenna) 

The silence of the wood was broken by a bird calling to another. But my ears told me that they were not bird calls at all, but signals of the guard. From the thousand years I have spent in the wilderness, I could tell a real bird call from a fake one, even if it sounded like one in every way.

The woodelves have often used birdcalls as silent signals to each other.

I smiled, so they have finally found out something had gone amiss.

I climbed the branches of the mallorn closest to me and folded myself into its shadow. Then I watched and waited.

And then I saw him, emerging through the shrubbery, silver blonde hair flowing to his shoulders, braided in the fashion of the guards. He wore a cloak that seem to change hues with the forest around him, sometimes as pale grey as the bark of the mallorn trees, sometimes a brilliant green like lush leaves in the sunlight. He bore a great white bow carved with designs of birds and flower, and a quiver of arrows hung about on his back.

His eyes were searching the branches of the tall mallorns, scrutinizing. He turned his gaze to the mallorn I was hidden in and I saw clearly his features for the first time. His eyes were like two sharp grey beams that probed the tree, and shining with some enchanted light. And he was fair, very fair. His sharp chiseled features had power and arrogance etched into its very lines. He was tall and lithe, his broad shoulders hinting at the strength concealed within.

Suddenly I was urged to show myself to him, to have his eyes hold me in their gaze of mithril.

I leapt from the shadow of the tree and landed silently on the grass behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_italics - _thoughts or memories

xxxxxxxxx -passage of time

* * *

(Haldir POV)

I could find nothing. The trees were empty, the woods were silent. I could not sense any intruder at all. If I had not seen the gray shadow, I doubted I would have noticed its presence. Indeed I doubted if I had seen it at all, if it was not a figment of my imagination conjured up by some passing cloud over the sun. There was nothing at all.

Suddenly, like a candle in the night, I felt life light up behind me.

"Looking for someone?" A voice said.

I spun around, at the same time notching an arrow into my bow. I pointed it straight at the figure, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air, right behind me. He was hooded and cloaked in a weathered grey cloak that seemed to blend just as well with the trees as my own. His face was hidden in the shadow of the hood.

"Who are you," I demanded "to dare to enter the golden forest of the Lady of the Wood?"

"Show yourself."

"I have no wish to." He replied. His voice was like the sighing of wind on water.

"You shall and you will – intruder." I retorted sharply.

He remained silent.

By this time, our voices had attracted the attention of the other guards of the wood. They gathered around the gray figure, bows notched and raised at him. My brothers stood at my side, eyeing the silent figure.

"And now, good sir, you will show your face." I stated.

He said nothing.

"Well?" I snapped, angry at his continued silence.

At this, he raised gloved hands and lowered his hood.

The first thing that hit me was the brilliant white-grey eyes, gleaming like the stars of heaven. They were silver in color. A mane of silky, dark hair, pulled back by two strands, framed his pale face, hair black like the wings of night, but even they were tinged with silver, as they reflected the sunlight. His pulled back hair revealed two delicately pointed ears. But as my eyes studied his pale face, I realized the features were too delicate for any male.

"It is an elleth." my brother said in wonder.

For a moment, we all stared in amazement. Who was this elleth who had so meticulously slipped past our nets? And she was very beautiful, her were features flawless, perfection even for an elf. Her eyes locked me in a gaze so powerful, I almost could not shake myself of it.

"Who are you and what is your business in Lothlorien?" I demanded.

Still, she uttered no word.

"Will you not speak?" my brother asked.

"Who are you?" was her reply.

"It is we who are asking the questions here." I said. But my brother answered her.

"We are the guards of Lothlorien, protectors of the wood." He replied. "I am Rumil and these are my brothers Orophin and Haldir." indicating Orophin and I.

"Haldir is the Marchwarden of the Lady of the golden wood."

Her eyes turned to me again and she bowed slightly, eyes flickering to the ground for a split second.

"You still have not told us your name and business here, my lady." I stated.

"They call me Elenna." she said, her voice soft as a whisper. "My business is my own."

"No one may enter the golden wood without the lady's permission." I objected. "And no one has ever gone past our borders undiscovered." I glared at her.

She lowered her eyes to the ground and did not answer.

"We will see to the Lady about this." I continued. "Blindfold her and bind her hands" I ordered.

With this she laughed, a soft, tinkering sound that sounded like sparkling water.

"I fail to see the humor in that my lady" I said wryly.

"Blindfolds and bonds are no use on me, Marchwarden." she said, eyes glimmering with unsounded laughter.

"Well, my lady, unless you can see through cloth and escape with your hands tied, I fail to see how they would be – ineffective." I sneered.

"Oh but I do not need my eyes to see. And I can certainly escape with my hands tied." she said a matter of factly.

"Indeed." I scoffed.

"Blindfold her, and take her to see the Lady. We shall see about this"

* * *

(Elenna POV) 

He looked down on me disdainfully and turned away to face his guards.

"We go to Caras Galadhon."

One of his brothers, the one who had spoken to me, stepped forward with a blindfold and hithlain rope.

"My apologies, milady." He said softly. I smiled slightly. "It is of no concern."

I felt him gently place the blindfold over my eyes and then tied my hands firmly, but not too tight.

"Come, my lady." He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"I do not need you to lead me, I can walk myself." I told him.

"You will stumble." He said. "And you do not know the way."

"I will follow you, but you have no need to guide me" I replied.

He was silent for a moment. Then he said, "As you wish my lady."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We continued onward into the forest, I could feel the life of the forest swirling around me. All was dark because of the blindfold around my eyes, but I could feel the forest. Its life was light a bright light, mapped out inside my head. I could feel every tree, every flower, every creature, and every blade of grass.

I could perceive where he traipsed at the front of the group and where his brothers walked, just a few feet in front of me. I knew where the little white bird perched in the trees above me, where the path narrowed as the trees crowded in, and where an overhanging branch of the tree hung low in the path before me.

I could see.

There were nights in the wilderness when not a star shone in the sky, and the moon did not show its face. Nights where the darkness was absolutely and totally complete, and even my elven eyes could not pierce it. It was then that I learnt how to rely on my other senses rather than just my sight. I learned how to feel the life around me, to sense their being, their life appearing as bright shapes of light in my mind. And in doing so, I was able to avoid walking into any trees or boulders of the sort. I honed my hearing to locate every small sound, every rustle of a leaf. Together, I could see just as well, if not better, as if I saw it in the light of day.

Blindfolds do not hinder me.

* * *

(Haldir POV) 

I glanced back to see her duck expertly under a low hanging branch over the path. She has been walking unassisted for hours now and has not once tripped on a rock or caught on a stray branch. For that matter, I would not have even known she was still following us if I had not looked back.

She was as silent as a wraith.

I marveled at her ability to walk so smoothly without her sight and her hands tied behind her back. More so she followed my brother's lead as steadily as if she could see him, even though his footsteps were as silent as my own.

I studied her face. She held her head up, occasionally turning it sharply to the left or right.

I looked questioningly at my brother. He shrugged and kept on walking.

I could not shake off the feeling of awe as I watched her traipse confidently behind me. How could this elleth be so skilled in moving through the woods? And how could she have possibly escaped our diligent watch?

She was like a shadow that passed unseen through the trees. And she would not tell of her business in here. She was wrapped in an aura of enigma.

And she was also strikingly beautiful. I can not shake off the image of her silver, white-grey eyes looking at me. Like two stars framed by the black hair that flashed silver in the sunlight. Her delicate features and pale face that ended in a sharply pointed chin.

I would even be bold enough to say her beauty rivaled Arwen Udomiel, the fairest to walk this earth since Luthien Tinuviel. Indeed, she resembled the Evenstar in appearance faintly, except while the Evenstar shone with a clear, radiant light, she seemed to sparkle and glimmer. At moments some brilliant beauty would shine through and then it would dim and simmer again. She was like a jewel that glinted in the sunlight.

Star-wards she was called, but I felt as if I was the one attracted to the stars that were her eyes.

I caught myself at that and cast the thoughts from my mind. I should not be thinking about this when I have a duty to do.

"We will reach the talans of the guardhouse shortly." I informed her, stopping to look back. "We will rest there for the night and continue on to the city in the morning."

She turned her face directly to the spot where I stood and nodded. If her eyes were not blindfolded, I would have said she looked straight at me, but that could not be possible.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We reached the guardhouse talans by nightfall. Calls were sent up into the trees to alert the others stationed there of our arrival.

A rope ladder was cast down for us.

"My lady, you will need to climb now to get up into the talan." I told her. I went over and untied her hands.

She nodded at me and strided over to the ladder and started to climb as effortlessly as if she was blindfolded at all.

Rumil, who had been walking in front of her all the way, looked at me in amazement. I could do nothing but shrug and continued up the ladder after her.

* * *

(Elenna POV) 

I climbed the ladder made of hithlain rope until I felt myself rise up between an opening in the wooden platform of the flet. I pulled myself through and settled on the wooden boards. I sensed Haldir and his brothers follow after me onto the talan and sit down by my.

"My lady, I think it is safe to remove your blindfold now," He said, "We are so far into the woods, that you will not find your way back out without help anyways".

I felt hands as someone, his brother Rumil perhaps, untied the blindfold that had been around my eyes for many hours now. As the blindfold fell away, I saw I was in a fair size talan with screens to block the wind.

And I saw the Lothlorien woods in their full glory. What had been a magnificent forest of light in my mind, was even more so stunningly dazzling as my sight was restored to me. The bark of the mallorn trees gleamed silvery white in the dim twilight light. It was the most beautiful forest I had ever seen.

Haldir and his brothers sat opposite to me, while some others of his guard settled elsewhere on the talan. However, I noticed, most of his guards had stayed behind at the borders.

"I daresay you will have been tired from our journey." He continued. "Rest now and we will continue at dawn."

I nodded. "I don't suppose I will need this again, will I?" I said, holding up the blindfold now sitting limp in my lap.

"No." He replied "Though I must say it will not change matters much." He added, glancing at me.

I smiled pleasantly at him.

"Indeed."

I rested my back against the strong trunk of the tree the talan was built around. I was not a bit tired at all. Usually, back in the wilderness, I liked roaming the forests at night more than I did in the day. The starlight and the darkness were welcoming to me. But Haldir and his brothers showed no signs of resting anytime soon, so I laid my head back and pretended to rest.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They stayed up speaking to each other in muffled tones late into the night. I silently willed them to sleep but they showed no signs of doing so. When they finally settled into places of their own and became silent, it was very late at night.

Their even breathing told me they were deep in reverie. I opened my eyes and slipped up onto the branch above me. Then I climbed higher and higher into the tree. I had no intentions of escaping, but I needed to see the stars.

* * *

(Haldir POV) 

I was shaken out of my reverie for some strange reason.

I was wandering the peaceful paths of an elvish dream when something called to me, and pulled me back into reality. As my eyes came back into focus, I looked around the talan around me. My brothers were quietly resting, as were the other guards.

But the place where she had been was ominously empty.

I got up on my feet and scanned the area. There was no sign of her. How could she have stirred and not woken me at all? And how would she have gotten past the guards on duty below the talan?

Then, far above me in the canopy of leaves, I caught the sound of soft singing, carried by the breeze, drifting down to me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Author's note: Translation of Elbereth's song is Tolkien's own.

warnings: none (yet)

xxxxxxxxxxx - passage of time

_italics_ - thoughts or memories

* * *

A Elbereth Gilthoniel,  
silivren penna míriel  
o menel aglar elenath!  
Na-chaered palan-díriel  
o galadhremmin ennorath,  
Fanuilos, le linnathon  
nef aer, sí nef aearon! 

_O! Elbereth who lit the stars,  
__from glittering crystal slanting falls  
__with light like jewels from heaven on high  
__the glory of the starry host.  
__To lands remote I have looked afar,  
__from the tree-woven lands of Middle-earth,  
__and now to thee, Fanuilos, bright spirit clothed in ever-white,  
__I here will sing beyond the Sea, beyond the wide and sundering Sea!_

* * *

(Haldir) 

Like rain falling onto the forest floor, so the soft sound fell upon me as I climbed up into the trees.

Light and gentle, the sound seems to weave through the branches.

_A Elbereth Githoniel…_

* * *

(Elenna) 

The night sky was without a cloud, and the stars were brightly shining in the heavens.

So many there were, that the night sky lit up as bright as day.

_silivren penna míriel o menel aglar elenath…_

Its beauty was breathtaking.

_Fanuilos, le linnathon nef aer, sí nef aearon!_

* * *

(Haldir) 

As I emerged above the canopy of leaves, I saw her perched in the highest branch of the mallorn tree.

Irritation pricked me. I did not like my orders to be disobeyed. But then again, I reflected, I did not tell her not to leave the talan.

_Still, she should not have left_. A voice in my head argued.

But I could not stay frustrated at her for long. Bathed in the milky starlight, she looked like some divine being. Her hood was cast back and I could see her silver eyes shimmer like the stars themselves. I was mesmerized by the sight.

With her eyes raised to the stars, she sang to Elbereth, the Star Kindler. And though she sang softly, passion was entwined into her song.

I felt like I had intrude upon some intimate moment between her, and - as ridiculous as it sounds – the stars of the sky.

Then I found my voice.

"My lady you should be resting." I said to her as I climbed onto the branch beside her.

"I am resting." she replied, never once taking her eyes off the night sky.

I could say nothing to that.

"Come, sit awhile with me. The stars are beautiful tonight" she said, turning to look at me.

I nodded hesitantly.

I really should be trying to convince her to return to the talan, but I found I was unable to bring myself to do it.

She looked so content.

We sat in companionable silence as we watched the stars, perched so high in the trees.

"What do you look for in Lothlorien, my lady?" I asked her, breaking the silence.

"I know not." she said, slightly shaking her head. "My wanderings took me here."

"Where is your home?" I asked, hoping to get some more information out of this tight-lipped elleth.

"My home is the forest." She said.

"So you have no real home?" I said incredulously.

"The forest is my home, is that not real?" She replied.

"Yes, but it is not common even for our people to live alone." I said.

"I have known no other life." she answered.

I did not know what to say.

We succumbed to an awkward silence, when I remarked.

"You sing very well, Elenna."

She smiled wistfully.

"Songs pass the time." she said.

Once again, I found myself speechless. What was it about her that left you completely robbed of your ability of speech? She volunteers no information at all, and every answer led you to a dead end. Even her expressions were indecipherable, and went no further than her eyes.

It was like she wore a mask over her face.

* * *

(Elenna) 

The way he said my name was pleasing to my ears. He said it with an accent, slightly different than the woodelves did, a different intonation of the word.

But I liked it.

It was the first time he said my name – he always addressed me by "my lady" before. I liked hearing him speak it.

It was such a long time since I had heard my name spoken.

* * *

(Haldir) 

"Say that again, my name." she suddenly said.

"Elenna?" I asked.

"Yes, you say it differently." she replied.

"But that is how it is said." I told her. "There is no other way."

"The woodelves said it with more emphasis on the first sound." She said to me, "You say it with a little more on the last."

"Does it displease you, my lady?" I asked.

"No, it is pretty." she said appreciatively.

A corner of my mouth twitched into a half smile. She was so innocent and childlike. And she was not so, at times she had a presence around her that was powerful and intimidating.

And she certainly was not naïve. But she had a lost look to her.

_Elenna_

She was like a wandering little bird.

"Ranaew…" I whispered, speaking out loud unintentionally.

Little wandering bird.

She looked at me curiously.

"Who is Ranaew?" she asked.

"It is you." I told her, smiling slightly. "You are like a wandering little bird."

"I see." she said.

Then she laughed, a twinkling of bells among the stars.

"You think I am like a wandering little bird?" her eyes still echoing her laughter.

"Yes, in some ways." I said thoughtfully. "To start, you can sing like one."

She laughed again.

"I thought you were haughty and arrogant at first, Marchwarden," she said. "Now I think that you are only like that because you can't be serious when you are not."

With this I laughed. She looked at me and we laughed together, there under the stars, high in the branches of the mallorn tree.

_Note: Ranaew(wandering little bird)-Sindarin  
__Ran-'wander,stray'+ aew- 'small bird'  
__Pronounced: ran-AI-w_

* * *

(Orophin POV) 

I awoke to a peal of unfamiliar laughter ringing from above in the trees. Who could be laughing at this late hour of the night?

There was certainly no merrymaking outside of the city walls these days. It was not safe.

I listened carefully, but the voices were strange to me.

I looked to the spot against the trunk of the tree where the elleth had been resting. It was empty.

_Well, at least one of the voices is accounted for_. I thought dryly.

But how in the world did she get past Haldir? He does not miss anything.

I glanced to the spot where my brother had been last occupying. It was empty also.

My eyes went wide.

_So, the other voice is Haldir's._

I had never heard my brother laugh before. He was always quiet and reserved. He did not say anymore than necessary.

Could it really be him that was laughing with the mysterious elleth? No it could not be.

I sat up and poked Rumil in the side.

"Wake up."

He jerked awake with a start.

"My dear, kind brother, can not a person get a moment of sleep without being rudely poked awake in the middle of the night?" he said irritatingly.

"Listen." I told him.

The laughter was still sounding from above the trees.

"Sweet Elbereth have you never heard someone laugh before?" he said sarcastically, "Need you wake me up to have me tell you what it is?"

"Ah, but this is no ordinary laughter, brother." I said, indicating with my head, the respective places of where Haldir and the elleth had been resting.

He gave a sharp intake of breath.

"Are you meaning to tell that our serious, I-am-so-high-and-mighty brother is up there in the trees, _laughing_ with an _elleth_!" he exclaimed.

"It would appear so." I said grinning.

My brother was almost rendered speechless.

"Eru above."

* * *

**Hmmmmm mary sue? I don't think so….. but if it is leaning a wee bit that way poke me sharply in the side. Not that mary sues are bad but they just are a bit cheesy.**

**Tell me ahead of time, don't come flaming me when it gets bad. agreed? agreed.**

**nways I promise you this will get better. :)**

**Soooooo read and review ppl!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Warnings: none

xxxxxxx - passage of time

_italics _- thoughts or memories.

* * *

(Elenna)

He laughed. It was a rich, resonant sound like the rumbling of thunder. So warm, so comforting.

"My lady, I have not laughed so for many, many long years." He said to me, gasping for breath.

I smiled at him.

"Indeed, I did not think you capable of laughter, Marchwarden." I teased.

"As did I." he said dourly.

I smiled again, and looked towards the sky. The moon was climbing high into the sky.

"My lady, I think we should return now." he said. "We have been gone far too long, we will be missed."

I nodded. "Let us go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We silently climbed back down the branches to the talan of the guardhouse below. From what I could see, there was no movement indicating that his brothers or any of the guards were awake.

"My brothers sleep like the dead." He told me as we quietly lowered ourselves onto the flet.

I chuckled softly.

"They would not awake even if a legion of orcs passed by under us." He added dryly.

"But come now, the night is almost spent. Rest a while before we continue at dawn."

"I will." I replied, turning to the place where I had been sitting.

"Elenna."

I turned back to look at him.

"Sleep well." He said softly. I nodded, "And you."

* * *

(Rumil POV)

Minutes later, we heard the sound of them climbing back down the branches and quickly pretended to be asleep.

"My brothers sleep like the dead." Haldir said, as she softly chuckled. "They would not awake even if a legion of orcs passed by under us." He continued.

I half opened my eyes to glance at Orophin. He looked at me and stifled a laugh.

"….Rest a while before we continue at dawn."

"I will."

We quickly shut our eyes again as Haldir turned towards us.

But then his steps stopped and he turned back. We cautiously opened our eyes again.

Haldir was facing the elleth, who was walking over to her place against the tree trunk, with an unusually soft look on his face.

"Elenna" he called.

"Sleep well."

She nodded, the trace of a smile faintly surfaced on her face.

"And you."

Then she settled against the tree and fell into reverie.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haldir silently walked towards us as me and Orophin pretended to stir.

I sleepily opened my eye, "Is it our turn to take watch already?" I asked.

He glowered at us and said, "The elleth you" He turned his gaze to Orophin, "—and you were supposed to be watching left the talan and you did not even notice?"

"She left the talan?" said Orophin obliviously. "Wherever did she go?"

"Up into the trees." he said grimly, "And I had to go and get her."

"Must have been a mighty unpleasant task" I muttered under my breath.

Haldir looked at me sharply and added, "And yes, it is, in fact, your turn to take watch already. Now go, lest you find yourselves with two more weeks of guard duty."

Me and Orophin leapt to our feet and quickly marched past our brother to gap in the talan floor where the rope ladder dangled from the tree.

* * *

(Orophin POV)

We hurried, under pain of guard duty, down the ladder to the lower branches where the guards on duty sat, and relieved them of their watch.

As they disappeared up the ladder to the talan above us, me and Rumil looked at each other and finally released the laughter we had been suppressing. We leaned our heads together and laughed heartily against our hands.

"Stars above, – _snigger_ – have you – _snigger _– ever seen – _snigger _– Haldir act like that – _snort_ – before!" said Rumil, half laughing half exclaiming.

"No." I said, gasping for breathing, "This is most extraordinary."

"Pinch me now, Orophin, and tell me I'm dreaming" He wheezed, "This surely cannot be Haldir."

"No brother, this is real." I said. "I think our teasing has finally gotten to his head."

"Yes, I agree." replied Rumil. "I think we should be kinder to our brother from now on, now that he has shown himself capable of emotion other than contempt for his sweet little brothers."

At this we bursted out laughing again.

"If you continue on like this, you'll have attracted all the orcs east of the Misty Mountains to us." said a voice above us.

We looked up to see, to our great horror, Haldir glaring down at us.

We immediately straightened our faces.

"I'm sorry, brother," said Rumil innocently, "but we were discussing the latest attempt Orophin made in trying to get an elleth to look at him."

"Ah, and that is perfectly acceptable to be making this much noise." He said sardonically.

"Now shut your mouths and watch."

Then he disappeared again.

"My latest attempt in getting an elleth to look at me?" I mouthed at Rumil.

He shrugged. "That was all I could think of at the moment."

"Must you always make fun of me, Rumil?" I said sourly.

"No Orophin, in case you've forgotten, we usually do that to Haldir." He replied. "But really, Orophin, I've never heard him joke before."

"Neither have I, Rumil, neither have I." I said, shaking my head.

"And he NEVER associates with elleths, NEVER." He added.

"We have to get to the bottom of this curious change of character of Haldir's." I agreed.

* * *

(Haldir)

I could hear my brother's snickers down below the talan. I knew what they were laughing about. And they were right. I had never acted like this before.

I always made it a point not to have dealings with the womenfolk, except Lady Galadriel of course. They always irritated me for some reason. That high-pitched, fake laugh they laughed when ever any of the male population was around drove me to the edge of my sanity.

But she was different.

She lacked the perpetual chatter and small talk the elleths always made when they gathered. But the words she did say weighed more than all the chatter of the elleths put together.

Everything about her was so genuine, so pure, like the crystal clear waters of the stream of Nimrodel. She was calm and silent on the surface, but underneath, you could sense the power of the flowing current.

Why can I not put her from my mind? My thoughts never strayed far from her now.

Another peal of laughter came from the trees below the talan, jerking me from my thoughts.

Annoyed, I lowered myself down the ladder to remind them my brothers of their duty.

**

* * *

Constructive criticism and tips welcomed.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Warnings: none (don't look at me like that – first plot THEN smut)

xxxxx - Passage of time

_Italics_ - thoughts or memories

Authors note: Description of Cerin Amroth & Lothlorien is taken directly from FOTR, though somewhat reworded.

* * *

(Elenna POV)

The morning dawned bright and clear. Light streamed down through the boughs of the mallorn tree, glowing silvery gold in the morning light.

"My lady, it is time."

I looked up to see him looking down at me.

"We will reach Caras Caladhon today." He continued as I got up and straightened my cloak.

"And I will take you to see the Lady of the Golden Wood."

I looked sharply back at him. He held steadily held my gaze.

"She will tell you whether you will be allowed to stay or not." He said.

I looked away.

Was it possible that I would be turned out of these woods? I could not bear the thought of never seeing him again.

_But why?_ I asked myself. I had survived just fine without company for many years, why could I not bear to be parted from him?

"My lady?"

I looked up again. His brother, Orophin, stood there, looking questioning at me. The Marchwarden was nowhere to be seen.

"We must go now." said Orophin.

I nodded and followed him down the ladder.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The forest was shining with golden light today. I followed behind Haldir and his brothers, this time without the blindfold and bonds that was on me yesterday. His guards followed behind.

I looked with awe at the great forest around me. It was unlike any others I had ever visited. Not even the great Fangorn forest could compare with its radiant beauty.

Fangorn was homely, but Lothlorien was dazzling.

We continued in silence for the rest of the way. I could not take my eyes off the tall mallorn trees surrounding us.

Late in the morning we passed by a clearing in the trees. There, shining in the morning sunlight, rose a great hill, carpeted in lush green grass swaying gently with the breeze. Flowers glimmered like gemstones on the hillside; small golden ones shaped like stars, and ones of white and palest green nodding on slender stalks.

Two circles of trees crowned its crest. The outer ring being leafless trees of snowy white, the inner were tall mallorn trees, reaching towards the deep blue sky. In the center stood the highest tree of all, and there, nestled in its branches, gleamed a white flet, like a jewel set into a crown.

"That is Cerin Amroth." said Haldir, turning my eyes to where I looked. "It was the heart of the ancient realm, long ago. Here, the golden elanor and the pale niphredil ever bloom on its unfading grass."

"It is so beautiful." I said softly, scarcely able to believe my eyes.

"We may stay awhile if you like." He said, turning to me.

I shook my head.

"No," I replied, "If I stayed, I don't think I would ever leave this place again, so great is its beauty."

He smiled. "The power of the Lady keeps this place ever-pure. There is no stain on the land of Lothlorien."

With the mention of the Lady, my smile dropped from my face.

"Do not worry Ranaew, the lady is not unkind, she will not turn away a wandering elleth." He said

I smiled again at his use of the name he gave me.

"We shall see." I replied.

We passed by Cerin Amroth, and carried on to Caras Galadhon.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For long hours we walked until the sunlight falling slanted down onto the forest floor turned golden and the shadows grew long. We came to a break in the trees, and looking down on a green hill, I saw mallorn trees taller than any others I have seen before. Surrounded by a green wall of great height, they towered high into the twilight sky. Lights glimmered between its branches, green and gold and silver.

"We have come to Caras Galadhon, the city of the Galadhrim, ruled by the Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel." He said, "It is by her power these lands are kept safe."

* * *

(Haldir POV)

We led her through the gates of the city, and deep into the City of the Trees. And then we ascended into the tall mallorns, climbing the many stairs that led to the wide talan where resided the Lord and the Lady. Soft singing drifted around us, gently, quietly, wrapping us in its embrace.

She silently climbed behind me and said no word.

High into the trees we came finally to the wide flet of the Lord and Lady. Soft light glowed from within.

"Come." I told her.

* * *

(Elenna POV)

"Come." He said to me. I hesitated for a split second, and then followed him into the chamber. His brothers did not follow us.

The room was circular, the pillar of the great mallorn tree rose from its floor. There, sitting beneath the mighty tree, canopied by its pale green leaves, was the Lord and the Lady themselves. They rose as one and greeted me.

"Welcome, Elenna of the woods." said the Lady. "We have long awaited you."

I bowed low.

_I know what it is you look for._ A gentle voice rang in my head.

I looked up at the Lady, into the deep pools of light that were her eyes.

"All shall be revealed." she said. "Come, sit."

I sat, and looked back at Haldir. His face showed no emotion, but with his eyes, he sent me encouragement.

"Leave us for awhile Haldir, we wish to speak alone with her." the Lady said to him. He bowed and left the room.

Silence filled the chamber.

"You look for your family." said the Lady.

I slowly nodded my head. Doubt filled me.

"We shall help you." answered Lord Celeborn. "Do not lose hope."

I looked up at them both. "Hannon le." I said quietly, lowering my head in a bow.

The Lady smiled. Something flashed before my eyes.

Instead of the Lady, there stood the woman with the silver hair before my eyes, smiling at me.

_Elenna…_

Naneth

I looked again and she was gone.

The Lady was looking at me with an odd look in her eyes. I looked away.

"Elenna, I know what it is you saw." she said to me.

"Who is she?" I whispered, staring at the floor of the flet.

The lady did not answer.

I looked up again, eyes searching her face.

The Lady was silent.

"All shall be revealed in time." she said finally. "Haldir will show you to a place you can stay."

"My lady…." I started.

"I shall say no more." was her answer, as Haldir appeared into the room again.

I bowed slowly to the Lord and Lady, and followed him out.

**

* * *

Read and review. you'll be my best friend forever.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Warnings: none, but a cute scene at the end to tantalize you people

muahahahahaha I am so evil!

xxxxxx - passage of time

_italics_ - thoughts or memories

* * *

(Galadriel) 

She bowed slowly to us and left the room.

I sat down in my chair.

The image of the girl with the silver hair flashed through my mind.

_But how?_

"Meleth nîn?"

I lifted my head to see my lord looking at me with concern.

"What did you see?" he asked

"Someone I have not seen for a long time." I whispered.

* * *

(Haldir POV) 

As I led her through the winding walkways high in the mallorn trees, she kept her silence.

She looked as if she was deep in thought, but I did not ask.

Onward we twisted and turned through the trees until finally we came to the dwelling I had been directed to take her.

"My lady, we are here." I said to her, stopping outside a chamber, built on a talan.

She did not answer.

"My lady?" I said questioningly.

Silence.

"Elenna?" I said again, gently touching her on the shoulder. She jumped slightly.

"You will stay here until the Lady says otherwise." I told her.

She nodded mutedly at me.

"Goodnight, Ranaew." I said.

She smiled weakly at me.

"Goodnight."

* * *

(Elenna POV) 

The Lady knew.

But she was not telling me. I could see it in her eyes. The way she looked at me with recognition.

She knew.

But she would not tell me.

I was so close, so close to finding my family, only to be held back at the last moment.

_Why?_

I looked at the chamber around me. Draperies fluttered with the breeze passing through the doorways. I walked onto the wide terrace, and looked down upon Caras Galadhon.

Lights softly glowed like fireflies, floating around the silent walkways. Hush whispers murmured, drifting around the trees like a sigh on the wind.

_Why?_

I suddenly felt the walls closing in on me, even though the chamber was open with floor length windows. I needed to get out of here.

I left the talan and walked aimlessly on the paths winding up through the trees.

Higher and higher I climbed, until even the lights of the city where far below me and the walkways narrowed so that only one person could have walked on it at a time.

As I turned the last bend, I came to a small bridge, suspended by ropes, high in the canopy. I walked onto it. It swayed gently side to side as I lightly stepped across to the other side. I came to a small platform, with a rope ladder dangling down to it from the branches above. Curious, I climbed up.

As I emerged through the leaves, a starlit night sky greeted me. I pulled myself up onto a wide flet, built at the very top of a mighty mallorn tree.

My breath caught in my throat.

The night was cloudless, and the stars twinkled kindly down at me.

_We are watching_. They seemed to say.

I sighed, and leaned against the strong trunk of the tree, wide even though it was tapering to its end. I ran the back of my hand down the smooth bark.

Suddenly I caught my hand on something rough.

I turned around and saw there, carved into the bark, words I had not noticed before. I leaned closer to read it.

_Till the stars dim in heaven and the seas are spent, together we remain forever._

_Celebrían & Nimbrethil_

There, carved underneath, was a crude drawing of two little girls, holding hands and smiling happily.

I ran my fingers over the engraving in the bark

_Nimbrethil_

Why does that name seem so familiar?

"Elenna?"

I turned quickly to the source of the voice. A surprised Haldir looked at me through the opening in the floor of the talan.

"Haldir…" I started.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I….was just…walking, and then I saw the ladder…so I climbed it." I said. "How did you know I was here?" I asked.

"I did not." He replied. "I come here at night, when I can not rest."

"I see." I said.

Silence fell.

The night wind rustled the mallorn leaves, the stars hung low in the sky.

"What is this place anyways?" I asked curiously.

"It used to be a watchtower, long ago." he answered, "It has fallen into disuse ever since the borders of these lands have been extended."

"The walkways suspended on rope were used by the guards to get quickly through the trees." He continued, "They are connected to every pathway in the city."

I pondered over this.

"I used to come here to be by myself when I was an elfling." He added.

I tried to imagine him as an elfling, but failed.

"What are these writings on the bark?" I asked.

He smiled, "It seems that I was not the only elfling who sought refuge here. The Lord and Lady's daughter Celebrían used to come here when she was young."

"I see." I said, "Then what about the other name?"

He shook his head. "I do not know, but I would assume it was her playmate. The Lady Celebrían was many years my senior, she married to Imladris when I was just an elfling."

"Imladris?" I asked.

An image of a grand house, built on the cleft of a valley flashed through my mind.

"Yes. She wedded Elrond Halfelven, Lord of Imladris." He said.

"Oh." I said.

We fell silent again, watching the stars.

"I seem to have developed a habit of finding you at night, Ranaew, don't I?" he mused.

"It would seem so." I said, absentmindedly. I was still thinking about this new piece of information.

_Note: Nimbrethil 'white-silver birch'– Sindarin  
__Nim – 'white', brethil -'silver birch'  
__Pronounced: neem-BRE-theel  
__They were also birchwoods in Arvernien, south of Beleriand._

* * *

(Haldir) 

She fell silent beside me, lost deep in her own thoughts once again.

When I came up to my usual haunt that night to gather my thoughts for the day, I found – to my great surprise – her there, sitting on the floor of the talan, musing over the engraving on the bark.

How she ever found her way up here, I did not know. The old watchtower talan was hidden high in the mallorn trees, anyone who did not know where already it could not have possibly found it.

And no one ever comes this high into the city anyways, the old guard walkways were long abandoned.

I came across this talan high in the mellyrn by chance when I was young, trying to escape from the constant mischief of my brothers.

They always had some prank up their sleeve, and it always seemed to involve me in one way or the other. One day, after having a whole bucket of rainwater dumped over my head as I passed under a branch they were hidden in, I finally had had enough. After dragging them out of the tree by their ears and depositing them into a nearby pond, I ran away laughing, as they climbed dripping wet from the water and ran after me.

I led them on a chase all through the city. As we climbed higher and higher into the trees, I could hear the furious yells of my brothers as they ran after me panting. Picking up my pace, I turned down an unfamiliar pathway that led sharply up into the canopy. It narrowed until finally I came to a bridge, suspended by ropes in the trees. I stopped, gasping for breath and listened for any signs of my brother.

"_Where did he go?" I heard Rumil say, on the pathway far below me._

"_I don't know." Replied Orophin, "I swear I saw him run pass here."_

"_You said that at the last turn!" said Rumil "And he turned out to be down the Minstrel's Walk."_

"_Well don't blame me, you were the one who came up with this stupid idea anyways." retorted Orophin._

"_YOU emptied the bucket over his head." Rumil replied triumphantly._

I stayed silent as I listened to my brother carry themselves and their bickering farther and farther away from my hiding place.

Smiling with self satisfaction I took a look around the place I was at. The wooden walkways creaked as they rocked with the light breeze. I moved quietly across the bridge strung up to a platform. From there, they extended far into the expanse of trees. I moved leisurely towards the next walkway when something lightly brushed by my arm.

I turned to see a thin rope ladder, hanging limply down from the trees. Out of curiosity, I climbed up the ladder and came to the wide flet, built against the mallorn tree, looking down over the vast wood of mellyrn.

So I went there whenever I needed to be alone. My brothers never found it, I made sure they didn't. It belonged to me and me alone. So many times during my childhood I came here, exploring the abandoned walkways, gazing at the stars.

My brothers never figured out how I could get from place to place so quickly.

The walkways became my secret weapon against them, and they were never able to pull another practical joke on me again.

I sat there reliving my old memories, one by one, until memory merged into elvish dreams……

* * *

(Elenna) 

Something brushed lightly across my nose, tickling me. I pushed it away, but then it was back again. I opened my eyes.

A strand of hair was blowing across my face. I frowned at the offending hair and attempted to brush it away again. The white blonde piece of hair didn't seem to want to go away.

White blonde hair?

I sat up quickly.

I had been leaning on Haldir.

_How could you have fallen asleep?_ I scolded myself. The last thing I knew I had been brooding over my conversation with the Lady.

It was early morning. Mist hovered above the tree tops, birds called lazily to each other. The pale, watery sun peeked shyly from below the horizon, its light illuminating the rosy pink sky.

I glanced back at where he was still resting against the mallorn tree trunk. He seemed to be still deep in reverie.

Hesitant to wake him, I slipped soundlessly down the ladder and made my way back to my talan.

* * *

(Haldir) 

I awoke to sunlight shining brightly into my face. Birds chirped cheerfully all around me.

It was morning.

I did not remember falling asleep.

For a moment I could not remember where I was, but then I realized I was in the old abandoned watchtower.

Memories of the night before came rushing into my head. I glanced to the spot beside me where she had been sitting, but the talan was empty.

It was like she had never been here.

I shook the jumble of thoughts from my head. I had things to do today.

I brushed my clothes off and rearranged my cloak, then left the talan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A single strand of long black hair settled on the floor of the flet, glinting silver in the morning sunshine.

**

* * *

I love all you guys who reviewed! (hands out big chocolate chip cookies) Your reward is one long chapter with cute scene included. That's all the smut I dared put in before the plot is fully developed. **

**Keep the reviews coming!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Warnings: none (plot ppl, PLOT!)

xxxxxx - passage of time

_italics_ - thoughts or memories

* * *

(Elenna)

I was lost.

The maze of pathways through the trees seemed to never end, twisting and turning this way and that.

I marveled at how I had ever found my way to the higher levels the night before.

Suddenly I heard someone call my name behind me.

"My lady Elenna!" cried a rather disheveled elleth, her pale green skirts gathered in her hands, running towards me.

I turned to look at her.

"My lady Elenna!" she said again, stopping in front of me, gasping for breath. "I have been searching for you all morning. The Lady sent me to your talan but you weren't there." She was wringing her hands anxiously.

"I'm sorry." I replied apologetically, "I was… elsewhere."

"T'is fortunate I have found you now. The Lady has requested your presence." She continued, looking a little less fretful. "I have left you a change of clothes in your talan, if you will follow me, I'll take you back."

"That would be most helpful." I said, "These pathways seem all the same to me."

"I know what you mean." She replied gloomily. "I have lived here all my life and I still find myself lost after making one wrong turn or the other."

She stared sullenly at the winding walkways.

"But come now, the Lady awaits you." she added as an afterthought. "Follow me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After several twists, turns, bends and sharp turns, we finally made our way back to my talan. Sunlight was streaming through the trees, landing in mosaic patterns on the roof of the flet.

"Here we are my lady." she said. "I will come back to find you in a few moments and take you to the Lady."

"Thank you for your kindness." I said to her. She bobbed a curtsy, then, smiling, turned to go.

I realized I did not know her name.

"Wait." I called to her. She turned, looking expectantly at me. "I do not know your name."

"Most here call me Nimloth." She said. "White-blossom, like the tree."

I smiled at her. "Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo."

She smiled back. "And the same to you."

_Quenya-'a star shines on the hour of our meeting.'_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nimloth left me a pale grey dress, lying neatly folded on a recliner.

I lightly ran my fingers over the fabric that seems to shimmer faintly in the early morning light. Black thread wove entertwining patterns around the neck and the wide, flowing sleeves. A broad piece of long white fabric served as a belt. It was also embroidered over with patterns in black thread.

It has been a long time since I wore a real dress. It was simply unpractical living in the wild. Usually, I had black leggings underneath a long, dress-like tunic. I wore my grey cloak over everything.

I quickly changed into the dress.

I felt oddly unprotected without my white daggers, even though I did not use them often, but there was nowhere to fit them under the dress. It couldn't be helped. I laid them lovingly on the recliner.

"Lady Elenna?"

I turned around to see Nimloth behind me.

"We must go now." she said. I nodded.

She led me once again, weaving through the labyrinth of pathways in the trees.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We came once again to the wide flet in the trees that served as a hall for the Lord and Lady. Nimloth left me at the doorway and disappeared once more.

I lingered for a moment outside, hesitant to go in.

Longing of news of my family filled me, but I dared not hope that the lady would tell me.

I folded my hands together nervously, and, gathering up all my courage, I entered inside.

The hall was almost empty, except for the two stately chairs that the Lord and Lady had sat in the day before. The Lady was nowhere to be seen.

I looked around the room; there were several other doorways that led of the talan.

I moved warily to one hidden in the far corner of the room. I seemed drawn to it somehow, but maybe it was because it was the only one with a closed door.

It had a slender wooden handle. On closer inspection, there could be seen next to the handle, carved faintly into the wood, one of the figures of a little girl same as the one in the abandoned watchtower. I reached out to turn the handle….

"Do not open the door."

I spun around to see the Lady standing in a door way across the room behind me.

I dropped my hand.

"My Lady, you wanted to see me?" I asked timidly.

"Come with me." she said. I followed her through a doorway in the opposite side of the room. We came into a large chamber.

"Sit." she said, gesturing to a low couch.

I sat.

The room was a circular one, tapestries lined the walls, and half finished embroidery work lay on the tables.

The Lady sat down next to me.

"Do you know how to weave, Elenna." she asked, her eyes following mine.

"No." I shook my head.

"Weaving is a taxing labor, it requires all your thoughts, your mind, your soul." she said. "Every line demands the utmost attention. Patience is a virtue you must have."

I looked curiously at her. Why was she telling me this?

"You must have the patience to watch its story as it unfolds. Hasten and it will fall apart, and all will be in vain." She said, still looking at the tapestries on the wall.

"Do you understand what I am saying, child?" she turned to look at me.

"Yes my lady." I replied. "But why are you telling me this?"

She smiled faintly, but did not answer.

"Do you want to learn to weave?" she asked me.

"If it would please you, my lady." I said.

"Good, come here again tomorrow, and we shall begin." She said.

"My lady…." I started.

"I will see you tomorrow." she said with a tone of finality. She rose to leave.

"Yes, my lady." I said submissively, and bowed as she left the room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Why is she teaching me to weave?_ I wondered as I followed Nimloth back to my talan.

"You look troubled, my lady."

I turned to see Nimloth looking at me concernedly. I gave her a weak smile.

"There are many things on my mind these days." I said.

She gave me an encouraging smile. "I'm sure the Lady will help you." she said.

"Perhaps." I replied, lapsing into thought again.

"Nimloth," I asked suddenly, "does the Lady always speak in riddles?"

She laughed. "That is the Lady, she never tells you anything directly but leaves you to figure it out for yourself." she said.

"I wish it was not so." I said sullenly.

"I have served her for many years now." she answered. "The Lady always has her reasons."

"I only wish I knew what they were." I replied.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So everyday, I made my way to the Lady's chamber, where I learnt to weave with her and her maidens.

It is surprising how much of your mind is involved in its process. When you wove, you thought of nothing else but the shuttle and thread in front of you. All else is pushed back to the recesses of your mind. Each thread is carefully, lovingly woven.

When you wove, you could forget everything.

There we would sit for long hours, time flying past, until the evening would creep up on us again, and the Lady would dismiss us back to our talans.

Everyday, I would ponder the meaning of the Lady's words, and why she was insisting I learn how to do this.

The same word rang over and over in my head.

Why?

_Patience is a virtue you must have._

The Lady's words echoed in my head.

I did not want to be patient.

I sat in my talan one night, mulling over my thoughts.

_Patience, child_.

Sighing, I rose from the recliner I had been sitting on and walked out onto the terrace. It was late in the night, and Caras Galadhon was silent. Not even whispers sounded. The mellyrn glowed comfortingly with a silvery-golden light, so like the color of his hair……

I had not seen him since that night in the watchtower. He did not seem to be around in the city, so I assumed that he had left to return to the borders again.

I missed seeing him.

I don't know why, but as surely as the sun traverses the sky, I missed him with all my heart. For some reason, he was the only one I truly felt comfortable with here.

Something that can be called a friendship exists between me and Nimloth, but I am never completely at ease with her. The Lady was kind, but she had a daunting presence about her that unnerved me. But in his company, I felt peaceful and relaxed.

But he was nowhere to be found.

_Where are you my friend?_

* * *

(Haldir)

The borders were silent. Rumil yawned beside me. All was quiet.

I had not seen her again since that night in the watchtower. That morning, having fulfilled my task of bringing her to the Lady, I left for the borders once again.

Memories of her filled my mind. I could not stop thinking about her. Her brilliant gray eyes, her silky black hair that flashed silver in the sunlight, her smile that could outshine the stars themselves, high in the heavens……

_Ranaew…_

My little wandering bird…

Where are you now?

**

* * *

Sorry it took so long to update….. went away for the spring break heheheheh**

**nways…… READ AND REVIEW! cheers!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Warnings: none – but some sexy elf sparring and another cute scene! don't worry ppl, its getting there.

xxxxxxxxx - passage of time

_italics_ - thoughts or memories

* * *

(Galadriel)

I watched her as she bent low over her work. She was weaving a tapestry.

Greens, grays, white, yellows, black.

Her character seems to be woven into its very fabric.

She is learning fast.

_  
Dear child, you are so like her_

She works silently, without a sound, her fingers flying over the cloth.

We all thought you were dead.

* * *

(Elenna)

I lost myself in my work, line after line, weaving my story onto its smooth surface.

Trees, birds, rivers, streams, all woven into a portrait of my life.

My life.

Then I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck. The sensation of being watched.

I tore my eyes off my work and looked up to see the Lady staring intensely at me, deep pools of blue boring into my soul.

"My lady?" I asked.

Her eyes locked mine in their gaze, pulling me towards those deep wells of memory.

"My lady?" I asked again.

"Go child." she said finally. "You have worked enough for the day."

I nodded and rose to gather my things.

"Elenna."

I turned around to face the Lady.

"You do not need to come back tomorrow." she said.

I looked at her with astonishment. I had gotten used to coming in the morning by now, weaving has been part of my routine for nigh on three turns of the moon. It was surprising how fond I had gotten of it.

"I do not need to come tomorrow?" I repeated with disbelief.

She smiled. "No child, go and do what you like to do best. Your lesson is finished."

I nodded mutely and left the round chamber where I had spent the last three months weaving.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Three turns of the moon I have seen in the fair woods of Lothlorien. Laer, summer, it was when I came here, iavas, autumn, it is now. The days are cooling, but in fair Lothlorien, it is but another face of its beauty.

The leaves of the mallorn trees have turned gold.

The forest is a world of golden light, flashing this way and that in the autumn sunlight.

It is all so unreal, I dared not believe I was not dreaming.

My white skirts blew around me as I stood looking down over the Golden Wood from the platform of the abandoned watchtower. A sea of glittering gold extended as far as the eye can see.

The cool wind whipped across the tops of the mellyrn, making the leaves shudder, and the woods as dazzling as the sun as the afternoon sunlight caught in its gold.

I do not ever want to leave these woods.

I breathed in deeply the scent of the forest. The musty smell of the earth and of wood filled my nostrils.

I love these woods too much.

Gathering up my dress, I climbed back down the ladder and headed for my talan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I left my talan again after changing back into my grey tunic and cloak. Although the dresses were beautiful and comfortable, I did not really get used to wearing them. And I had nowhere to wear my daggers underneath them. With my cloak, I feel like I can become invisible again, melting into the forest, becoming the forest, feeling its life surrounding me.

I slipped my way through the pathways, this time descending to the forest floor. All the time I had been here in Lothlorien, I had not really left the lofty pathways up in the trees. I had spent most of my days weaving with the Lady, or sitting in the abandoned watchtower alone. I had not explored the forest floor.

The mighty mellyrn towered above me, their thick roots protruding from the earth. I walked silently through them, making my way out of the city.

I came to the tall green gate, hung with many lamps, to light it in the shadowy forest. Two guards dressed in white stood by it.

"I wish to go out into the forest for awhile" I told them.

They looked at me skeptically.

"I wish to go out." I repeated.

"It is dangerous to leave the city walls, my lady." one replied.

"I wish to go out." I said again.

"My lady – " the guard protested.

"I wish to go out, if you will not let me, I will climb these walls myself." I said firmly, staring intensely at both of them.

They looked at each other and then nodded hesitantly.

They opened the gate and as I started to walk through, one followed behind me.

"My lady, if you insist on going out, at least let me escort you. It is not safe outside these woods anymore." He said.

"I wish to go alone." I said. I turned and walked out into the woods. I could still feel him following me.

_  
We will see how long you can follow me._

I picked up my pace and strided swiftly into the trees. He was still following. As we went farther and farther into the woods, I gained my distance. Soon I was well ahead of him. I quietly slipped behind the gigantic trunk of a mallorn tree and molded myself into the shadow.

Moments later, he passed by the mallorn I was hidden behind, searching. I watched him silently. He soon left still looking. I came out from behind it and continued with my walk in the woods.

When I wanted to be alone. I _will_ be alone.

It has been so long since I was truly alone, it is kind of strange. Ever since I came here to the golden wood, there have always been people near me. Even when I was in the abandoned watchtower, I felt the people in the city below me. Although I have only been here for three months, it feels like it has been much longer since my days in the wilderness.

I sighed. _To be alone again…_

It felt like I was in a dream, walking amongst the pillars of silver and gold, like I was lost in the halls of the gods themselves. The cool autumn wind brushed past me as I walked there, in the woods of Lothlorien.

But then I felt something I have never felt before. An overwhelming feeling of emptiness filled me, suffocating me.

I have never felt so alone in my life before.

The world spun around me, I felt lightheaded all of a sudden. My legs gave way and I found myself sitting on the forest floor, in a carpet of grass sprinkled with the occasional gold leaf.

What is this feeling that is choking me? It left me feeling so alone, so alone. My heart started beating rapidly, my hands felt weak. I needed someone to be near me, to comfort me.

Why was nobody here?

(Flash)

_We were sitting beside his favorite creek, in the woods of the grey elves._

"_Have you ever felt lonely, little sister?" he asked._

_I shook my head. "No. What does it feel like?"_

"_Like you are the only one left in the world, no one left to be there with you, to comfort you, to laugh with you, to love you…" at this he trailed off, eyes glazed in a faraway thought._

_I looked at him curiously. "Have you ever felt lonely before?" I asked. _

"_Many times…"he answered, looking back at me. _

"_You have never felt lonely before, when you lived in the woods by yourself?" He questioned._

"_No," I answered. "There were always the stars…"_

_He smiled._

"_One day, when the one you love the most leaves you, you will feel lonely."_

(Flash)

Is this really how loneliness feels like?

Was there someone I loved? Love. I do not even know the meaning of that word, let alone feel it. He never really told me how it felt. Every time I asked him, he would change the subject.

My love was for the woods, and the creeks, my friends the stars of the night. I have never felt the same affection for another, I do not even know if it is the same feeling.

I have not had many friends.

I ran my hands through the soft grass and picked up a single gold mallorn leaf. Holding it up in to the sunlight, I carefully examined it.

What is love?

I got to my feet and started walking blindly forward. I was looking for something, but I don't know what. Why do I feel so helpless all of a sudden?

_Why?_

As I walked contemplating, I heard the clashing of metal on metal in the distance.

I cautiously approached the source of the noises.

And then I saw him.

There in the clearing, he stood, sparring with a younger guard, all around them the columns of the tall mallorn trees towered into the sky. His sword glinting in the sunlight, white blonde hair flashing, he looked like some forgotten god locked in battle long ago, in the deeps of time.

I watched, hidden in the trees, taking in the sight before me.

The younger guard's strength started wane and he prepared to make his finishing move.

* * *

(Haldir)

The guard was young and inexperienced. His technique was lacking and his moves were executed poorly, I had no problem finding a weakness in his defense to bring him down. I made a mental note to correct his grip on the sword afterwards.

That day we were down at the training grounds to test the younger recruits for the guard. They were all fairly new to sword play and we were showing them the basics that afternoon. When I asked for a volunteer to spar with me, they all paled three shades of skin color. The one I was sparring with now looked like he was going to faint any moment if he wasn't so scared of being hit by the sword attacking him. I had been going easy on him but I was looking for a chance to finish off to session now. After he attempted to block my jabbing blow, he tripped, and as he struggled to regain his balance, I brought my sword down in a finishing blow…

But instead of it coming down to a halt inches from his neck, it clashed against metal.

There, standing in front of me, with a long dagger locked with my own sword, was her.

She was looking at me with her head tilted slightly to the right, her gaze challenging.

"Care to spar?" she said.

* * *

(Orophin)

I watched my brother raise his sword to finish off the miserable-looking youngling. I was glad this was going to be over soon. Watching the young guard try to take on my brother was just painful, I almost felt sorry for the poor thing. But as he brought down his sword on the young guard's neck, it was suddenly stopped in its path by a dagger.

I sat up straight from the tree I had been leaning against. Elenna was standing there in front of the guard, staring intensely at Haldir, her dagger entwining with his sword. At her side, she held an identical dagger in her hand. The fortunate youngling behind her scrambled fearfully back onto his feet and stole quickly back to his comrades, still looking somewhat shaken.

I was curious. Where had she gotten her weapons from? Certainly they were not hers? But then again we had not searched her when we brought her back to Caras Galadhon…

And then they sparred.

She fought with a deadly grace, movements exact, never more, never less. Her blows were lethally precise, grazing inches from their target as my brother repelled them with equal precision. Their blades flashed in a blur of silver, moving so fast that I could not even follow their attacks. I would be even ashamed enough to say that her skill greatly surpassed my own. Only one in all of Lothlorien could have matched her proficiency.

Haldir.

The two of them fought, silently, without a word, locked in a deadly dance so fast that it was starting to become frightening. The young guards just stared wide-eyed unblinkingly.

Rumil, me and the other guards faired no better, we could only look on speechless.

All was silent. The air was crackling with tension as Elenna and Haldir continued, locked in their mortal combat, and the only sound was the ringing of their blades. They fought on and on, neither appeared to give way, and it looked like neither of them was going to win. Even though Haldir had the advantage of the longer blade, Elenna had the flexibility of two. They were equally matched.

After what seemed to be hours, but maybe it was only a few minutes, they each brought their blades to the other's throat at the exact same moment. Time seemed to freeze, everything was silent, and we all held our breath. They just stood there, holding in each other's gaze.

And then they lowered their blades. It was then that I noticed they were both breathing heavily. Me and Rumil could only look on, stunned. No one, absolutely no one, before had ever fought with Haldir and come even. There was a reason why he was the Marchwarden of Lorien – He was the best at sword play in the entire realm. How did she achieve such a feat?

* * *

(Elenna)

He was highly skilled in art of engagement. No one had ever been able to match me since my youth, not even my friend, who had taught me all I knew about the sport. We stood there, blades still pointed at each other's throats, his eyes holding mine in their powerful gaze. He was looking at me with a faint trace of wonder.

We lowered our blades at the same time. It was only then that I realized I had been holding my breath. I was still slightly winded from our spar.

"You fight well, Ranaew." he said finally.

I gave him a curt nod.

It was then that we realized his brothers, the other guards, and a whole troop of young recruits were still staring wide-eyed at us.

He turned to face the young guards. "_That_ is an example of what you should be trying to work at."

They all just stared blankly at him.

"Well? What are you all still staring at? Keep practicing!"

At this they all paired up again and kept on practicing.

Haldir then turned to his brothers. "Help them with their technique, I want to talk to Elenna." They nodded and he turned back to me.

I slid my daggers back into their sheaths, hidden under my cloak.

"Come, let us walk." he motioned me to follow.

We walked back out into the golden woods, a comfortable silence ensuing. Somehow, the silences with him were always like that: comfortable, companionable, peaceful.

Finally he spoke.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" he asked.

"I learned to fight with the woodelves." I answered.

"I never knew their skill was so great." he said.

"No," I shook my head, "It is not. Only you have been able to match me. Not even my own teacher has been able to do that since I mastered the skill."

He laughed.

"You truly are amazing Ranaew, just when I thought I knew everything about you, you come up with another trick like that."

"You don't know everything about me. Even I don't know everything about me." I said quietly.

He looked at me curiously.

"I came here in hopes to find my family. But I found them not." I sighed.

"Did the Lady know who they are?" he asked gently.

"She knew. But she would not tell me." I said sadly.

"The Lady is wise, she must have her reasons." He reasoned.

"Perhaps it is so." I said, looking down at my hands.

I felt his hands lightly stop me by my shoulders. I stared at down at the grass.

"Ranaew…" I turned my face away from him.

I felt him gently lift my chin to face him. I lowered my eyes.

"Ranaew, look at me."

I tentatively look up at him. He was looking at me with concern.

"Do not lose hope." he said. "The Lady must have her reasons for not telling you. You should not doubt her."

"I am so tired of not knowing." I whispered.

"I know." he said. "But you must be patient."

_  
Patience is a virtue you must have._

The Lady's words rang again in my head.

_  
Patience_

I suddenly understood.

I smiled at him. "Thank you." I said. "You have helped me more than you know."

He gave a slight bow. "Glad to be of service." He said, smiling. I smiled warmly back at him.

"My Ranaew…" he said softly.

I laughed. "You still think I am a wandering little bird."

"Of course," He said "You will always be my little bird." I raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"My _deadly_ little bird, the only one who can fight me and not lose." he added.

I laughed again, he always made me laugh. "I missed you." I said softly. "I have not seen you for so long."

"You left me, that night on the watchtower." he said.

"I –" I began, and then drifted off as his hand wandered along my cheekbone.

"I thought it had all been a dream. Was it?" he said.

"No." I answered, all my coherent thoughts starting to wander as his hands moved past the tops of my ears to brush a strand of my hair back behind them. I gave a sharp intake of breath.

"Haldir–" I whispered. He was looking at me with a soft look in his eyes.

"I…I must go." I said quickly looking away. He looked at me questioningly.

I turned and swiftly walked back to the city, leaving him standing there behind me.

* * *

(Haldir)

She looked so beautiful there under the golden mallorn trees.

"I missed you." she said softly.

_You do not know how much I miss you as well_

Her skin looked so soft, glowing with golden light reflected off of the mallorn leaves. Before I knew what I was doing, I was tracing the shape of her cheekbone with my hand, tucking a strand of her silky hair behind her delicately pointed ears.

Inside, my head was screaming: what are you doing!

Then she said my name. It was naught more than a whisper, but it was like music to my ears. So lovely, like the sighing of wind on water…

She suddenly moved away. "I must go." she stammered. I could only look back at her questioningly.

She turned away and swiftly left, leaving me. I closed my eyes.

_  
What have I done?_

* * *

(Elenna)

I was confused, so confused.

Why was a rush of unfamiliar feelings all bombarding me today?

First an overwhelming feeling of loneliness, then an overwhelming feeling of longing.

Longing for him. To be close to him.

What is this I am feeling? I had no name for it.

**

* * *

I love reviews! - hands out more chocolate chip cookies – keep them coming!**

**and by the way the next chapter is going to be _very_ interesting –winks -**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Warnings: none

xxxxxxxxxx - passage of time

_italics_ - thoughts or memories

* * *

(Haldir) 

I don't know how long I stood there for, staring after her as she walked away into the woods. Even when she disappeared between the trees, I just looked on into the distance.

Then I realized I had left my brothers in charge of the young recruits back at the training grounds. I reluctantly turned and walked back.

My mind was a mess of emotions. What did I feel for her?

_  
You love her._

A little voice in my head sounded.

_Do I?_ I questioned. _I have only known her for a short time. How could I love her?_

How could I love her?

_  
You love her._ The voice in my head persisted.

_You love her for her smile, the way she makes you laugh. The way the sunlight reflected off her hair, the way her skin felt under you fingers…_

_You loved her from the minute you set eyes on her._

I loved her.

"Haldir?"

I jerked out of my thought to find I had arrived back at the training grounds. Orophin was looking at me curiously.

"Where is Elenna?" he asked.

"She left." I said.

"It is getting late. We should probably finish up with the young recruits." said Rumil, coming up behind us.

I nodded. "You and Rumil go inform the other guards. I will gather up the weapons."

* * *

(Orophin) 

I had never seen Haldir act this strangely.

I watched him as he absentmindedly collect the training weapons we had been using with the young recruits.

He had just as absentmindedly walked into the training grounds, lost deep in his own thought until I called his name. And he had been acting strangely ever since we left the city to go back to the fences.

Ever since we brought back Elenna to Caras Galadhon.

Elenna.

I grinned. I think I know what had gotten into my brother.

* * *

(Elenna) 

I do not know how long I walked, blindly making my way back through the trees.

A mass of emotions swirled through my head, all merging together, each indistinguishable from the other.

This is all so new to me.

Eventually, I made my way back to the gates of the city. I stood there, just staring blankly at the tall green walls.

Blank. Everything was blank. All is empty, all is void.

So many questions that I want answers to, but there is nothing. Nothing at all.

Suddenly the gates started to open. I stood there impassively, watching it open before.

To my surprise, Nimloth stepped out through the gates.

"Lady Elenna?" she said

"Nimloth, what are you doing here?" I asked curiously.

"The gate guards told me that you disappeared into the woods without a trace." She said, "I was going to look for you with them. I am so glad you are safe."

I smiled faintly. "I thank you for your concern, but I do not need an escort."

"Oh but these woods are much more dangerous than you think, my lady" she said anxiously.

"Yes they are…" I said. _They are so dangerous to the mind._

"But I am safe, you do not need to worry about me." I said.

"And of that I am greatly relieved." She replied. "Do you want me to walk with you to your talan?"

"No, it is alright." I said. I smiled and walked back through the gates of the city with her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I laid on the soft cushions of a recliner in my talan, staring up at the ceiling, watching the draperies flutter in the wind.

Nimloth had left me to attend to some business for the Lady. Before she had left me, she had asked me if I was still going to weave with them tomorrow.

I had smiled. _"No my lesson is finished." I said to her._

"_But your tapestry is not finished." She protested._

"_Maybe I will finish it someday. But for now, I am finished with weaving." I told her._

I had learned my lesson.

_  
You must have the patience to watch its story as it unfolds. Hasten and it will fall apart, and all will be in vain._

The Lady was trying to telling me that the time was not right. She was teaching me to wait, to have patience, and everything will unfold before my eyes.

I smiled.

It is so like the Lady to teach me a lesson in patience, have me learn a new skill AND help me pass the time, all by having me learn to weave.

I turned over to my side and stared out the window. The forest was shining with the clear afternoon light. I thought back to my walk in the woods. And him.

I sighed. What was I going to do?

Haldir…

I sat up. I felt restless.

I walked out of my talan and headed in the direction of the Lady's chambers.

I strolled unhurriedly along the winding pathways, basking the afternoon sunlight.

Finally, I came to the circular hall where the Lord and Lady dwelt. I stepped inside.

"I have been waiting for you."

The Lady stood in the middle of the chamber, looking at me kindly.

"My lady." I said bowing.

"Do you understand what I have taught you?" she asked, smiling.

"Yes." I said to her, "I understand now."

"He helped you." she said.

I looked at her. "How do you know?"

"I know many things, child." she said, looking at me sadly now.

"My lady," I asked suddenly, "what is love?"

She smiled at me again.

"Come sit with me." she said, gesturing to the chairs at the side of the room.

"What do you know about love, Elenna?" she asked me.

"I know nothing about it." I shook my head sadly. "My friend among the woodelves never told me."

She smiled. "Such things cannot be told Elenna," she said. "You have to feel it yourself."

"But I do not even know how it would feel like." I said.

"You feel love for these woods, no?" she said. "And you loved your friend."

"And you love him…"

I looked at her. She was looking back at me with tenderness in her eyes.

"Go to him, child. He can teach you more about love than I can." she said to me.

"Go."

"But where will I find him?" I asked her.

"Your heart will tell you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I stepped back out into the pathways.

Where am I supposed to find him?

"Where did you find him the first time?"

I turned to see the Lady standing in the wide doorway of the hall.

The watchtower.

I bowed to her again and made my way to the abandoned watchtower I had spent so much of my time in.

* * *

(Haldir) 

I sat in the talan of the old watchtower, watching the mellyrn glitter in the afternoon sunlight.

I knew now.

I had loved her from the very moment I set eyes on her. The very moment her silver eyes held me in their powerful gaze, I had fallen in love with her.

My Ranaew…

What have you done to me?

* * *

(Elenna) 

I stood on the small platform below the watchtower, staring at the rope ladder before me.

I was hesitant to climb it, I don't know why.

My heart was beating rapidly in my chest. I was scared.

I sighed. Then gathering my courage, I pulled myself up to the talan above.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was greeted by the strong afternoon sunlight as I came through the opening in the floor of the talan.

He was there, sitting by the trunk of the mallorn, looking out over the Golden Wood, just as I had been that morning.

"Haldir…" I said.

He turned to look at me with surprise.

"What are you doing here, Elenna?" he asked as I pulled my self up onto the talan.

"I come here all the time, when I need to think." I said.

"Why does that sound vaguely familiar?" he said dryly.

I laughed. "It is because you said it." I said, sitting down beside him.

"Did I?" he said, slightly amused.

"Yes." I replied. "Except this time, it is I who found you sitting here musing over your own thoughts."

"And what do you need to come here to think about?" he asked.

"I came here to ask you something." I replied.

"And what is that?" he said.

"Can you tell me what love is, Haldir?" I turned to look at him.

He looked back at me with surprise.

"Why do you ask?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I want to know." I said softly.

He sighed. "It is hard to say what it is, Ranaew. Those who have not ever felt it can not understand it until they experience it themselves."

"The Lady said I loved you." I said.

He looked at me with the same gentle look he gave me when we walked in the woods.

"And what do you think, Ranaew?" he said softly, "Do you love me?"

I looked out over the golden mellyrn and the swiftly waning afternoon sun.

"I know I love you as a friend." I said, "But when you were not here with me, I longed to be with you, I could not bear to be parted from you……I felt so… empty."

I looked back towards him. He was a lot closer to me than I remembered…

"That is what love feels like, Ranaew." he whispered. Then it was his turn to look away.

"Everyone has another half of themselves out there." he said. "It is up to you to find them. And when you do, it is the most extraordinary feeling in the world." He looked back at me.

"And what does that feel like?" I asked curiously. He smiled at my expression.

"Like you could sacrifice everything for them, even if they do not appreciate it in return. In your eyes, they will always be the most beautiful in the world." he said, his eyes drifting again to the sea of mellyrn stretching out before us. "And when they are not there with you, you long for them. Without them you feel so lonely, so incomplete, like another half of you is missing."

"But why have people never felt lacking before they meet their other half?" I asked.

"It is because they have never known what it is like to be whole before." he said, eyes turning back to me once more.

"I felt so lonely without you." I whispered. "So empty, like something was missing from me."

"As did I, Ranaew." He whispered. "As did I."

I reached out to touch his face. His skin was so soft, so soft.

He placed his hand over mine and brought it to his lips.

"I love you." He whispered, lips hovering over my hand, "I did not know it before, but I loved you from the moment I set eyes on you."

He pulled me towards him. Our faces were inches from touching. I suddenly felt shy, and looked away. I felt him lift my chin. His grey eyes were looking at me with tenderness.

"My Ranaew…" he breathed as he lowered his lips onto mine, claiming them for his own…

Softly, slowly, he kissed me, his hand on the small of my back, holding me to him. I lifted my hands and placed it around his face, kissing him back. I felt so completed all of a sudden, so whole. As he kissed me, a fire kindled inside of me, slowly burning me.

I finally broke away gasping for breath. His eyes were looking at me with love. I nestled my face in the crook of his neck.

"I feel like there is a fire burning inside of me." I whispered into his ear. "Is that love also?"

"No meleth." he said, running his fingers through my hair. "That is passion you feel."

"I want more." I whispered. He lifted my face to his again and kissed me again.

White lights appeared behind my eyes, my heart beat rapidly as his hands began to travel down my back, pushing me back towards the trunk of the mallorn tree.

* * *

**hehehehehehehehe...well then what do you know...**

**Wasn't that better than a chocolate chip cookie? I think so too. Things are going to heat up over the next few chapters so keep your eyes peeled.**

**...by the way, the ratings are going up in chapter 11...just so you know where to look for it then.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Author's note: I suddenly realized last night that I didn't really make clear during what period of time this story takes place…well then here it is:

Time line: This story happens around 2000 T.A. (Third Age) when Elenna is about 1000 years old. (She was born sometime around 1000 T.A., some 600 years after Arwen Undomiel This is around the time the shadow falls on Greenwood and evil took over Dol Guldur.) Around the time Elenna enters Lothlorien, the watchful peace has just begun (So she just over 1000 – about 1050 I think). I am implying that Haldir is born near the beginning of the Third Age, making him about 1000 years older than Elenna. They are still both fairly young in the reckoning of the elves.

PS. Do you think Elenna is getting a bit mary-sue? because i'm kinda worried...

Warnings: getting a little hot, but nothing actually happens (sorry ppls)– still fairly PG-13

xxxxxxx – passage of time

_italics_ – thoughts or memories

* * *

(Haldir)

Her lips were soft, so soft, as I kissed her with ever increasing passion. My body was longing for her, to feel my bare skin against hers.

To make her mine forever.

My hands traveled down her back, following its curve.

But I couldn't, not now.

She was still so young and innocent.

I pulled myself away from her.

"Don't stop." she whispered, pulling me back to her.

I smiled at her. "I must Ranaew," I said, whispering into her hair, "or I fear I will take this lesson farther than I want to."

"There is more?" she asked, eyes glinting with curiousity.

"My innocent, innocent little bird." I laughed. "There more, so much more than you can imagine. But that is for another time. Right now, I am just contented to be with you."

And I held her against me as we watched the setting sun together, until its last rays disappeared behind the tall, rugged peaks of the Misty Mountains.

I whispered tender words in her ear as we watched the stars appear in the darkening sky, one by one. She nestled against me, and pointed out each star to me as they appeared.

"Elenna, if I didn't know otherwise, I would say you loved the stars more than you love me." I said with a slight smile.

"But I do." she said seriously. I glared at her. She laughed.

"I love you, Haldir, more than anything in the world." she said softly, "Even the stars cannot comfort me like you do."

I smiled. "I will always be here for you, Elenna." I said to her. She smiled back at me.

My beautiful, beautiful little bird, what am I going to do without you?

We sat there late into the night, silently watching the starry sky.

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* * *

(Elenna)

It was morning again. The sun was just rising over the horizon, the blue sky was cloudless. I leaned back against him, letting our hair mingle together in the morning light. Silver-white against silver-black, intertwining together, highlighted gold in the sunlight.

I eased myself out of his arms and stood at the edge of the talan, watching the sun rise over my beloved Golden Woods.

"Do you always rise with the sun, Elenna?"

I turned to look back at him.

"And when else am I supposed to awake?" I said. He smiled. He walked over and wrapped his arms around me.

"When I tell you to." he whispered against my ear. I laughed and pushed him away.

"You are much too arrogant for your own good, Marchwarden." I said.

"And does that displease my lady?" he asked, holding me to him again.

"No." I said gently, turning to face him. "That is just who you are."

I ran my fingers over his jaw. "You wouldn't be you without your arrogance."

He laughed. "You are so forward, Ranaew."

I smiled. "I do not – play – with words, Haldir. I say them." I said.

"I know." he said softly, bringing his face down so that our noses touched. "I know."

And he kissed me again. This time lightly, with love.

"Come with me to the Lady." He said, breaking away. "There is something that I must ask of her."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once again, I found myself back at the Lady's talan.

"Come, Elenna." he said, tugging on my hand, pulling me into the circular hall with him.

The Lady was sitting in the elegant chair she sat in the first time I saw her, looking over the tapestry I had woven during the 3 months I had lived here in Caras Galadhon.

"My Lady." said Haldir, bowing. I bowed beside him.

She looked up smiling. "What brings you here, Marchwarden?" she asked, but she had a knowing look in her eyes.

"I want to ask if you can spare Elenna from her duties to you." he said.

"She has finished her duties to me already, Haldir." she said.

"I wish to have her help me train the young recruits." he said. "She has shown remarkable skill with the blade, and her knowledge of the forest would be a valuable asset to the guard."

"If it is so, then I give her over to your charge, Haldir." said the Lady, standing up.

"This is yours, Elenna." she said to me, handing me the unfinished tapestry.

"Thank you, my lady." I said, bowing my head.

"I hope you will find many more things to put in this tapestry in the days to come." she said smiling.

"You are welcome to join us here again if ever you feel like it."

I smiled back at her. "I thank you for the offer."

"Lady Elenna?"

I turned to see Nimloth standing beside me, holding some neatly folded garments and a white bow with a quiver of arrows.

"These are the uniform of the guard." she said, handing over the clothes. "The bow is a gift from the Lady to you."

I took the bow from Nimloth and nodded my thanks.

Then I turned to the Lady.

I put my hand over my heart and bowed low to her.

"I give you my deepest thanks, my lady." I said.

She took my hands in hers and pulled me back up.

"I only want you to be happy, child." she said kindly, placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Now go with him, there is much to be done today."

"We are needed down at the training grounds soon." Haldir said to me. "We must hurry."

I bowed to the Lady again, and left the talan with him.

* * *

(Galadriel)

I watched them leave the talan, smiling happily at each other.

"Go seek your happiness, child." I whispered.

"For there are not many days left of it."

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* * *

(Rumil)

"Where is Haldir?" I asked Orophin. "Everyone is all here, we should start soon."

"I don't know." he said, shaking his head. "He was not at his talan last night."

"Where ever could he have gone?" I said exasperated.

And odd glint came into Orophin's eye.

"I think I have an idea." he said mysteriously.

I looked at my brother.

"You know something that I don't, don't you?" I said accusingly.

"Maybe." he said. I punched him on the arm.

"Ow!" he said. "What did you do that for?"

"For keeping secrets from me." I said. "Now tell me: where do you think Haldir went?"

"It is hardly a secret." he said sourly, "If you were not so oblivious of everything but yourself you would have noticed."

"What is it?" I asked again.

"Haven't you noticed Haldir acting strangely these days?" he said.

"He was just a little more quiet than usual, that's all." I said.

He rolled his eyes. "How can you be such a blockhead, Rumil?"

"What?" I said. "He _is_ a little more quiet than usual."

"Yes, but haven't you notice his mind doesn't seem to be on what he's doing lately?" he asked.

"Well, now that you mention it, I guess so." I said thoughtfully.

"He's been like that ever since we left the city." he continued.

"So what?" I said.

"Ever since we left _Elenna_ back at the city." he finished.

"Oh!" I said, as comprehension dawned on me. "Elenna, I forgot about her."

Orophin clapped his hand on his head.

"Rumil, you saw her yesterday. How could you have forgotten?" he said exasperatedly.

"Didn't you noticed something strange when he came back from his talk with her?" he said, "Or how he even asked to talk alone with her at all? Haldir never leaves his duties to talk, never mind with an elleth. Rumil, how thick can you get?"

"Well sorry if I'm not as perceptive as you." I mumbled.

"Rumil, anyone would have noticed." He said.

"Right, well how do you know Haldir was with Elenna last night?" I snapped back.

"Because Elenna wasn't in her talan either." he said.

My eyes widened.

"Are you serious, Orophin?" I said.

"And why would I be joking with something like that?" he said.

"Because you are an insufferable know-it-all." I said.

"I believe that would be Haldir." He said.

"Well, I think you are acting more and more like him nowadays." I retorted.

"Rumil! Why would you say something like that?" he said, looking a little hurt.

I sighed. "I'm sorry." I said. "It's just that, you were acting strangely too. I would call your name and you wouldn't hear me. You seemed so detached."

He came over and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, brother." he said apologetically, "I guess I wasn't very attentive to you either."

"That's alright." I said smiling. "Now," I said clapping my hands together. "Let us see what this older brother of ours is up to."

Orophin grinned widely.

* * *

(Orophin)

Rumil and me were dividing the young recruits into pairs with the other guards, when Haldir arrived.

The most curious thing was that Elenna was with him.

I cast a knowing glance at Rumil. He grinned wickedly.

"So…" he drawled, stepping in front of our brother. "Haldir finally saw fit to join us lowly guards down here in the training grounds."

Haldir glared at him.

"I had some business to take care of." he said sharply.

"I see." Rumil said, eyes glancing at Elenna. Her face was impassive.

"Interesting…"

"Elenna is here to help you with the recruits." He said sternly.

She gave us a slight nod.

"Welcome, my lady." I said, bowing to her.

"She will be part of the guard from now on." He continued. "And as such she will be treated with respect." He added, glowering at Rumil.

Rumil looked sheepish. "My apologies, milady, I meant no disrespect." he said, bowing.

"Elenna, you will go with my brother and help the recruits with their stance and grip." Haldir said. "Starting from the ones on the right."

She nodded and followed Rumil, who turned and headed towards the frightened looking group of younglings.

I walked up to stand beside my brother.

"You were with her last night." I said.

"I was." he said.

I turned my head to look at him.

"Do you love her?" I asked.

"I do." he answered. He looked to where she was helping the young guards with Rumil.

"Does she know?" I asked softly.

"She does." he said.

I smiled. "I am happy for you, brother." I said.

He turned to face me, and for the first time in my life, he smiled back at me.

"Come, they will need our help." he said, as he turned to walk towards Rumil and Elenna.

I smiled and followed him.

Our brother has changed much.

**

* * *

Hello ppls! Have I told you how nice it is to be appreciated? your reviews make my day!**

**Nways…on with the story. Next chapter will be a bit angsty, BUT there is going to be some explicit -ahem-…...sex **

**I'm not kidding you. So if you really don't like that kind of stuff (although personally I don't know anyone that does….) you might want to skip the last part of the chapter. because of the content, i will have to make this fic into an "M" rating, comprendez? good.**

**So my dears…I bid you all a good day and happy reading! -grins-**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Warnings: Ladies and gentlemen…the moment you've all been waiting for…

(PS. yes they sex)

xxxxxxxx – passage of time

_italics_ – thoughts or memories

* * *

(Elenna) 

The woods were silent. Not a leaf stirred. Still I watched on, guarding my beloved wood.

A breeze flew past the trees, shaking another leaf from the mallorn's branches.

It was spring.

The forest floor was carpeted with the dazzling gold of the fallen mallorn leaves. The beauty of these woods never ceased to astound me.

Yet I missed my home in the woods of Middle Earth.

To be free, without a care, wandering the gentle hills, winding brooks of my home.

I missed that feeling, to be free.

But I cannot leave here. I cannot leave.

A little white bird flittered in the branches above my head, chirping happily.

I called softly to it, and it flew down onto my outstretched arm.

"And what is your name, little one?" I cooed softly to it, stroking its smooth white feathers.

It chirped happily in reply. Then it fluttered off my hand and flew away. Moments later, it returned to my hand, and dropped a single bloom of niphredil on my lap.

"Thank you, my friend." I said, nuzzling it gently.

"I think I shall call you… Sùlimelos." I said smiling, "For you are like snow that falls in Sùlimë."

It cooed happily. I laughed quietly.

"So you like your new name? Do you?" I said.

Sùlimelos flittered around my hand. I giggled.

"Ah, I see you have found your long-lost sister, Ranaew."

I turned to see Haldir standing behind me with an amused look on his face. Sùlimelos disappeared into the trees.

"Maybe I have," I said, standing to face him, "But you seem to have scared her away."

"I see she has brought you a gift." he said, bending to pick up the bloom of niphredil that had fallen out of my lap when I stood.

"And so she has." I said softly as he tucked it behind my ears.

"Our watch ends tonight." He said, "We can return to the city by nightfall."

I sighed. "I like it here in the woods much better. The city is so closed."

He laughed. "You are only one of my guards who do _not_ want to return after their watch, Elenna."

"Yes, but I am not like any of your other guards." I said thoughtfully, looking at him, my head tilted slightly to one side.

He laughed again. "No Ranaew, no you are not." He said with passion, gently pulling me towards him.

"Haldir – we are still on watch." I reminded him pleasantly.

"Then we will have to wait till nightfall." He said smiling.

"And you still haven't taught me the second half of the lesson yet." I whispered into his ear, lightly grazing it.

He groaned. "Elenna, don't start what you cannot finish." he said.

"Whatever did I start, Haldir?." I said grinning.

He swiftly turned me around and pinned me to the trunk of the mallorn tree.

"This." He said, and took the tip of my ear into his mouth, gently sucking on it.

I gasped. It felt like I had liquid fire spreading through my veins as his lips traveled down to my neck, planting light kisses on it.

And then he pulled away. Blood was pounding loudly in my head.

He smiled suavely at me.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you here with your sister now." He said silkily, "I will come for you at nightfall."

I stared after him as he left the small flet.

Arrogant Marchwarden.

_

* * *

Note: Sùlimelos –'Marchsnow'-Sindarin/Quenya_

_Sùlimë-(Quenya) is the third month of the elvish calendar_

_los- (Sindarin) 'snow, snow-white'_

* * *

(Haldir) 

I chuckled softy as I left the talan where I had left her.

_  
My innocent little bird, you do not know you play with fire_.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Haldir, the second watch is coming at nightfall." Orophin said to me as I arrived at the flet I kept watch in with my brothers.

"Yes, I know." I said. "Have you told the others?"

He nodded. "But I haven't told Elenna yet, I was just going to go over to her flet."

"I have told her already." I said to him.

"And what did she say?" he asked.

I laughed, "She doesn't want to leave."

"I thought so." he said smiling. "Her heart is with the woods and the trees."

"She said the city was too closed." I replied, "Sometimes I think she still misses the wilderness."

"She is a creature of the forest, Haldir." Orophin said, "Her place is there."

"I know." I said softly.

"She is restless." He said, "I fear she will not stay long."

"And yet she is still in love with these woods." I said quietly.

"I fear her love of her freedom may prevail in the end." He said softly, "You cannot cage a bird, Haldir."

"She would not leave me." I said to him.

"She loves you, yes." he said, "but she is not yours yet. She is still free to go."

I sighed. "And what am I supposed to do?" I asked my brother, turning to face him, "I cannot make her stay."

"You know what you need to do." he replied. "You are just afraid."

"She is still so young." I whispered.

"She is older than you think." He replied. Then he turned to go.

"I am going to find Rumil, I will be back in a while." He said. And with that he was gone.

I sighed again.

_  
Elenna, what am I going to do with you?_

* * *

(Elenna) 

The sun was setting. Twilight settled in between the bare eaves of the branches.

Sùlimelos had left me awhile ago, going back to her own nest for the night.

I sat on the floor of the talan, staring out over the forest alone.

I sighed. I did not want to return to the city.

When I had lived among the woodelves, I was still very young, no more than a century old. Then I did not feel closed in by the city, or the people. I still needed someone to take care of me. But as I grew older, I grew restless. I wanted to be among the trees again. I wanted to go where I pleased, eat when I wanted, sleep when I needed.

I wanted to be free.

So I left, and I never lived among people again.

Until now.

My heart longs for the forest. It is my home.

But I cannot leave.

I waited, waited for the day when the Lady thought it right to tell me of my family.

Still she remained silent.

And I cannot leave him.

I can never feel whole again without him.

I can never go back to that time before I knew what it was like to be whole.

Still, the forest called to me, beckoning me.

I knew I was still free to go. Orophin had told me so.

_  
We were keeping watch late into the night, Orophin and me. _

"_My heart longs for the forest, Orophin." I said to him, "I do not belong here."_

"_You do not have to stay here, Elenna." He said, "Not if you do not want to."_

"_I cannot leave him." I said._

_He sighed. "You are not bound to him yet, Elenna. He cannot make you stay."_

"_I do not want to leave him." I said._

"_You can not love two things the most at the same time, Elenna." He said gently, "You will have to choose."_

But I cannot choose.

"Elenna."

I turned. Haldir stood behind me.

"We are going now." he said. I glanced up at the dark blue sky. The first stars had started to appear.

I nodded and gathered up my bow.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As we made our back to the city he was silent. He seemed to be deep in thought.

I walked quietly beside him. His brothers walked a ways in front of us, speaking quietly together.

"You are free to go, Elenna." He said suddenly. "I will not make you stay if that is not your wish."

I looked questioningly at him.

"Why are telling me this?" I asked.

He sighed. "I know you want to go, Elenna. You cannot fool me." he said, "I know you long to be back in the forests that were your home."

"I will not go if you do not want me to." I said to him.

He shook his head. "I want you to be happy, Ranaew." He said, "You are not happy here."

"Haldir…" I began.

"It is your choice, go or stay. I want you to choose the path you want, the one that will make you happy." He told me.

"I do not want to cage you, Ranaew." he said softly. "You belong to the forest."

I fell silent beside him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We parted without a word at the city gates.

He made his way back to his talan, I made my way to the abandoned watchtower, to think.

As I pulled myself up into the talan, I found that there was already someone there.

"My Lady?" I said, surprised to see the Lady sitting there on the floor of the talan.

"Elenna." she said, "Come, sit."

I went to sit beside her. We sat in silence. The stars twinkled down on us.

"What are you – how did you find this place?" I asked.

She smiled faintly. "There were others once who sought this place, like you"

"Others so like you…"

"Like me, milady?" I asked curiously.

She did not say anything, but smiled to herself, seeming to remember some long forgotten memory.

"And why are you here, Elenna?" she asked me.

"You know why I come here, my lady." I said.

"You were given a choice." she said, turning to look at me. "Yet you do not know what to choose."

I sighed. "I fear neither choice will bring me happiness." I said, staring across the dark tree tops.

"You want to return to the forests." She said.

"But I do not want to leave him." I said. "I cannot leave him."

I sighed again.

"What can I do my lady?" I asked looking helplessly up at her.

"I cannot choose for you, child." she said, "You must choose yourself."

"But I do not know what I want." I said, staring down at the talan floor.

"How long will you be happy in the forest, child?" she asked me. "A day, a year, a century?"

"I will never be happy in the forest again without him." I said quietly.

"Do you love him, child?" she asked me.

"You know I do." I told her.

"Can you sacrifice everything for him?" she asked me.

"I would give him my life." I said, looking at her.

She smiled.

"Sometimes we must give something to gain something, Elenna." she said. "It is your choice, choose wisely."

Then she stood and left the talan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I sat there in the talan for long hours afterwards, my mind a confusion of emotions.

"_Can you sacrifice everything for him?" she asked me._

"_I would give him my life." I said, looking at her_

I would do anything for him.

"_Sometimes we must give something to gain something, Elenna."_

Would I give up my freedom for him?

"_You can not love two things the most at the same time, Elenna." He said gently, "You will have to choose."_

But I cannot choose.

"_It is your choice, go or stay. I want you to choose the path you want, the one that will make you happy." He told me._

I fear neither path will make me happy.

"_How long will you be happy in the forest, child?" she asked me. "A day, a year, a century?"_

"_I will never be happy in the forest again without him." I said quietly_

I will never be happy without him again.

"_Sometimes we must give something to gain something, Elenna."_

Sometimes we must all sacrifice something for love.

* * *

(Haldir) 

I laid in my talan that night, thinking.

Thinking about her. Thinking if she ever left me, what would I do?

_  
I love you too much, Ranaew._

I stood and walked to the window.

I will not force her stay. Yet if she left I do not know how I will go on.

"I want you to be happy, Elenna." I whispered to the wind.

If it made her happy to go, I will let her go.

"_You cannot cage a bird, Haldir." my brother said softly._

My little wandering bird.

Go where the wind takes you, I will not cage you.

* * *

(Elenna) 

I stood on the terrace of my talan, looking down on Caras Galadhon, my white dress fluttering in the wind.

_  
I would give everything for you, my love._

His voice seemed to be carried on the wind, speaking to me. _I want you to be happy, Elenna._ It seemed to say.

"I will always be happy with you." I whispered.

* * *

(Haldir) 

The wind blew around the trees. It seemed to comfort me, telling me everything will be alright.

_  
I will always be happy with you._ It seemed to say.

I wish it were so meleth, I wish it were so.

* * *

(Elenna) 

I stood on the pathway outside his talan, hesitant to go in. I was nervous.

_  
What if I had chosen wrong?_ I asked myself.

"_Do you love him, child?" she asked me._

The Lady's voice suddenly sounded in my head.

"_You know I do." I told her._

I love him.

I suddenly felt strangely peaceful and reassured.

I took a deep breath and stepped into his talan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He was standing by the window, his hair framed in the silver moonlight.

"Haldir." I called softly to him.

He turned around with surprise on his face.

"Elenna?" He said.

"I have chosen." I said to him.

He closed his eyes. "And what have you chosen, Ranaew?"

I moved towards him, and lifted my hand, slowly caressing his face.

"I have chosen to stay here with you." I said softly.

He opened his eyes and looked at me with disbelief.

"Is this truly what will make you happy, Elenna?" he said.

"I can never be happy without you, Haldir." I said, burying my face in his hair.

"Elenna." he whispered, wrapping his arms around me. "I was so afraid you would leave me."

"I will never leave you." I murmured into his hair. "Never of my own will. You will have to kill me."

"You are no good to me dead, Ranaew." He said, chuckling. A low rumbling that reverberated in his chest.

"Haldir." I said, looking up at him. He smiled down at me. "Orophin said I was not bound to you yet."

The smile dropped from his face.

"What does he mean?" I asked.

"Elenna…"

"I want to know, Haldir." I pressed on.

He sighed.

"He means we have not – joined – yet." He said.

"What does he mean by join?" I asked looking, at him curiously with one eye.

"Valar, Elenna how am I supposed to explain this to you?" He said, paling a little.

"Then don't explain." I whispered, burying my face in his hair again.

"Show me." I whispered into his ear.

I brushed my lips across the tips of his ears, kissing them lightly.

He stiffened.

Then suddenly, he turned me around and pinned me to the wall by my wrists.

"Elenna…" he said seriously, "once I start this there is no going back."

I looked up at his face.

"Do what you will with me, Haldir." I said. "I trust you with my life."

"But I do not trust myself." He said gently, "I do not want to hurt you."

"I am not afraid of pain, Haldir." I said.

"Please…" I whispered into his hair. "Show me."

He groaned and crushed his lips to mine, this time with a passion I had not ever seen in him before. I felt the liquid fire slowly burning its way through my veins again, slowly burning, burning.

I moaned into his mouth. He pressed me against him, his hands wandering along my back until they found the ties to my dress. Slowly, slowly, he untied them, one by one, still kissing me passionately.

Then he broke away. I opened my eyes. He held me in his gaze. His eyes shining grey, watching me with a hungry look.

"We will need to continue this in the bedchamber, Ranaew." I heard him say.

I could only nod. All coherent thoughts were leaving me, I could only remember the feeling of his lips on mine.

I felt him gently pick me up and carry me through his talan.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and nuzzled my face into its crook.

Then, he gently lowered me onto the soft bed. I pulled him down with me, kissing him slowly.

He slipped one sleeve of my dress off my shoulder, then moving his mouth down my neck, he came to the exposed skin and slowly kissed it.

Where his lips touched my skin, a fire seems to ignite, enclosing me in its heat. A symphony of sensations lit off in my head, sensations I had never felt before, consuming me. Blinding lights that went off behind my eyes.

I pulled at the ties at the front of his tunic blindly. I heard him chuckle softly as he placed his hands over mine and helped me untie them. I slipped the tunic off him and ran my hands over his chest.

His skin was soft, so soft.

He moaned into my neck and pulled more of my dress down, exposing the other shoulder to his kisses.

* * *

(Haldir) 

I felt my body react as she ran her hands over my chest.

I tugged at her dress, needing to feel her skin against mine.

She whimpered a little as I kissed a sensitive spot on her neck.

I slid more of her dress down her body until I pulled it off completely with a tug.

She wore a thin slip underneath the dress that left little of her body to imagination

She stretched her slender body under me as I raked in the sight with my eyes.

"You are so beautiful, Ranaew." I whispered to her.

* * *

(Elenna) 

It was as if I was in a dream, looking up at him. His silver hair, glowing softly in the moonlight, tickled me as he slowly descended upon me. His hands caressing my body, stoking the fire that seem to burn with ever increasing fury inside of me. A heat that seems to consume my entire being, a need to be fulfilled.

I could feel his hands pulling at my slip, sliding it down my body, revealing me to his eyes. His lips taking my breast in his mouth, his tongue wreaking havoc on my body. I grasped at the sheets, gasping, moaning with a pleasure I had never known, never felt before.

"Please…." I gasped. "Haldir…"

"What, my little bird, what do you want?" He said. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"What are you doing to me?" I moaned.

"Doing exactly what you asked me to." He whispered sensually in my ear. "Claiming you for my own."

"But I am already yours Haldir." I said softly. He looked down tenderly.

"Not quite yet, little bird, " He said quietly, "Not quite yet."

With that he slid the rest of the slip off me, claiming my lips once again. He pressed his body close to me, a hardness rested close to my belly.

"Haldir –" I whispered, a little frightened. "What exactly are you going to do to me?"

* * *

(Haldir) 

I felt a ripple of fear rip across her body, she trembled slightly under me.

Guilt filled my heart. Guilt of what I was going to do, guilt of the pain that I was going to cause her, the guilt of tainting something so pure, so innocent.

"Do you trust me, Elenna?" I said, holding her close to me. I felt her shivers subside.

"I do." She said, her voice firm, without hesitation. I felt burdened with the trust she put in me.

I sighed.

"Have you seen animals mate before, Ranaew?" I asked her gently. "Do you know how it works?"

"Yes……" she said hesitantly, "I know."

She looked up, comprehension dawning in her eyes.

But I could see something else hiding behind her silver eyes.

Fear.

"Elenna, I will not do this if you do not feel ready." I said gently. In truth, I did not know how I was going to stop, I had gone too far. My self control was wearing thin. It was all I could do not to ravish her right then and there now. But if I have to I would.

I will not push her into doing something she was not ready to do for my own pleasure.

I will not hurt her more than I had to.

"You asked me if I trusted you, Haldir." she replied, her hand lighly caressing my face.

"And I do." she said, lifting her lips to mine, kissing me. I could feel the heat rising in me, my self control was on the verge of snapping.

"Haldir." she whispered into my ear. "There is no going back."

"I am yours to take."

* * *

(Elenna) 

I could feel his desire. His body was rippling with a pent up need for fulfillment so great, it frightened me.

But I trust him. I would have him seek his pleasure.

There was no going back.

I gave myself to him.

I felt him gently nudging my knees apart, entering me, gently, slowly. Afraid to hurt me still. His eyes held mine, comforting, apologizing.

"You will never hurt me, Haldir." I said softly, feeling him holding himself back.

"Take me."

With that he unleashed all remnants of his self control and drove himself deep into me.

I felt a sharp piercing pain, and bit back a whimper. A tear trickled down my cheek.

He kissed the tear away and murmuring tender words into my ear, holding me close to him, while the pain slowly dissipated.

He looked down at me with love.

His mouth claimed mine once again, and he began to move, deep within me. Driving himself deeper within me with every thrust. The fire blazing within me was being stoked higher and higher. I could no longer think, no longer see anything around me.

There was no one else but us.

White lights surrounded me, blinding. Pleasure, desire, passion……love.

Love.

I felt his soul. His warm, comforting presence encircling me, taking my soul and weaving me with his own, until we became entwined together, unable to tell where he started and I began, rising higher and higher together.

Suddenly we were flying high over the forest, the lights of the city shimmering green and gold below us, reflecting the stars in the clear night sky. My stars that bore down upon us, my stars that blessed us. We were flying higher and higher……soaring to dizzying heights I dared not imagine……skimming the velvet night sky……higher and higher……

Then the world crashed down upon us. I was falling……. falling, falling, falling.

_Do not worry, I will catch you._

_I will always catch you_

And then we were back in his talan. He collapsed on top of me, breathing heavily. I sighed with content. He kissed me lightly.

"You are mine, little bird." he whispered softly in my ear.

"Mine for all eternity

**

* * *

I'M BAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCK. greetings. Je suis retournée de Toronto! **

**I'm soooo sorry you guys had to wait so long for this chapter. BUT I was away on an exchange trip to Toronto (Ontario, Canada? by one of those huge ass lakes? I swear it looks like the freaking ocean) for a week, then I had homework to catch up on, blah blah blah. **

**But now you get this luscious chapter complete with SEX.**

**I'm a first timer at smut so please... don't criticize too much... ok? thanks. **

**Nways…. read and review! I love you guys!**

**Note: the T. dot rocks! all those cool Torontonians. Tu es d'accord, non? oui, oui. GRIN**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Author's note: reviews would be greatly appreciated. Constructive criticism is welcomed….most of the time :D have fun reading!

Another note: I have never read L.A.C.E. (Laws and Customs of the Eldar), but I know a few of their laws by reading other fanfics….however, this is just my take on their definition of marriage…ok? no yelling at the author. stern look

xxxxxxxx – passage of time

_italics_ – thoughts or memories

Warnings: some sexual innuendos, but not much. (PG-13)

* * *

(Elenna) 

_I was lost, lost in a dazzling forest of gold, sparkling this way and that in the sunlight. It was so peaceful, so beautiful. The light breeze danced around me, sending the pale golden leaves fluttering down. What was this place? _

_And then suddenly he was there with me. Smiling he took my hand and led me through shining forest, laughing with me._

"_Why are you here?" I asked. _

"_Why shouldn't I?" He answered._

"_This is MY dream." I said._

"_And it is mine also," He said, resting his forehead on mine. "for it is yours."_

"_Haldir –" I started, but he placed a finger against my lips._

"_Do you not understand Elenna?" he said softly, "I am a part of you now, as you are a part of me. We share the same paths of dream as we share a piece of our soul with each other."_

"_How –", I began. Again he silenced me. _

"_Do not question Elenna, follow me." he said, and then laughing he pulled me through the golden trees again, until we reached a quiet pond, still as a mirror to the cobalt sky above. I laughed with joy, and pulled him into a dance with me. Finally we collapsed onto the soft earth, laughing with mirth._

"_I love you."_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Morning light streamed through the open windows, landing in a golden pool on the talan floor.

I could not remember where I was. Then I felt my bare body under the softness of the creamy white sheets and clutched it to me.

Memories of the night before flashed through my head. I was in Haldir's talan, in Haldir's bed…..

I turned sharply to find him regarding me calmly with his dominating grey eyes.

"Haldir…" I breathed.

His unbound hair flowed over his shoulders and splashed onto the creamy white of the pillow. He was propped up by one elbow, still looking calmly at me.

"Did you sleep well Ranaew?" He asked

"Well enough…" I murmured, still trying to grasp vainly at reality.

"Haldir…I …" My voice drifted off, unable to finish my sentence.

"Do you regret it?" He asked, still looking unusually calm.

Did I regret it? That I had given myself completely and truly to him? Why are these doubts filling my mind? I had been so sure the night before.

"No…" I said hesitantly but firmly, "No I don't regret it."

He smiled. "I am glad, because there is no going back." He said gently. "By the laws of our people, you are now my wife."

He watched me with gentle eyes, gauging my reaction.

I did not speak for moment. Then I smiled weakly at him and moved into his embrace.

"My lord…" I whispered against him. He planted light kisses on my forehead, stroking my hair.

"You are mine…" He sighed softly.

"Arrogance, March Warden." I remarked into his hair. I felt his mouth twitch into a smile.

"Insubordination, Elenna." He said, his voice filled with amusement, "I am both your husband and march warden."

"I obey no one." I replied with indignation.

"Is that so?" He replied, arching an elegant eyebrow. Suddenly, I was on my back looking up at him. His silvery gold hair fell over me, his head haloed in the morning light streaming in from the window.

"Then I'm afraid I will have to use more powerful methods of persuasion." He said, still smiling, as he descended his mouth onto mine in a demanding kiss.

I melted in his kiss, finding myself powerless under its spell. I could feel every curve of his body mould into mine. The desire that lay dormant in me was kindled again, and I burned for his touch. I could feel him laughing.

"What were you saying again, Elenna?" he said as he pulled away from me.

"What would you have me do, March warden?" I replied, slightly put off that I had given in so easily, "I am powerless against you."

He laughed quietly again, "I would have it no other way, sweet Ranaew." His hand reached out to caress my face.

"Come, the morning grows old, we should rise." He said, moving his weight off me. I felt strangely light without him. He rose and dressed in his usual grey tunic as I watched him languidly from the bed, propping myself up with one elbow. His broad shoulders rippled with his toned muscles as he pulled his tunic over his head, hinting at the strength contained with them

At last he finished and turned around to face me.

He watched me with his eyes the color of mithril, slowly glancing over me without a word.

"You are picture of magnificence Ranaew." He said finally, smiling.

"I'm flattered." I replied, "Now if you'd be a gentleman and bring me my dress you so sloppily discarded of last night."

"And if I don't?" He answered. This time it was I who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Then you will suffer my displeasure." I said eyeing him dangerously, "Or maybe a few well calculated blows with a dagger."

He laughed. "I'm not sure you would want that Elenna." He said, smiling widely.

"Try me." The smile dropped from his face.

I watched him with cold eyes until he complied and brought me the aforementioned article of clothing, but in fact I was struggling not to let my bubbling amusement of his expression to show. It served his arrogance right.

"Thank you." I said with a softer voice and a small smile as he handed it to me. I felt his burning gaze on me as I slipped on the white dress and began doing up the lacing on the back. Suddenly, I felt his gentle hands brush against my back as he took the thin ribbons from my hand and continued lacing it up for me. It was but one simple act, but its thoughtfulness filled me with love for him.

As he finished, I turned around and looked into his eyes. No words passed between us, but there was none needed; the love in his eyes said all.

* * *

(Haldir) 

I watched as she ran a comb through her dark hair which flashed silver in the golden light flooding in from the open window.

My wife…I could scarcely dare believe it. My beautiful Elenna.

She pulled her hair back in her customary style, with two strands holding it back. So simple it was, yet on her, it looked more beautiful than the intricate braids that elleths wore their hair in. Finished, she turned to face me once more.

She was framed in light from the window behind her, her simple white dress glowing slightly in the sunlight, and her hair flowing down her back. I had no words to describe the angelic sight before me. I imagine this would be what a Maiar of the Valar would look like. I smiled lovingly at her.

"You look like a vision." I said, bringing her hands into mine. She smiled shyly up at me. For a moment, we just looked at each other. Then she said, "We should go see the Lady."

I nodded in agreement. "We should tell her." I answered. "But no doubt she already knows."

She smiled, "The Lady seems to know everything there is to know."

"Indeed." I answered, smiling as well.

"Let us go then."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

* * *

(Elenna) 

Together, in the warm morning light, we strolled through the winding paths of Caras Galadhon in the direction of the Lord and Lady's talan. Occasionally, I glanced up at Haldir beside me, who would smile in return. For the first time in my life, I felt a sense of belonging that I had not found anywhere else, not even in my beloved forests. I belong in the forests, that is true, but this was a different type of belonging that I had no words for.

Along the pathway, we would meet other people walking who would bow respectfully to Haldir and greet me warmly. I would smile back them, brief words would be exchanged and we would go about our way again.

Somehow, I felt so much more at home here now, like I lived here all my life. I felt I could love to live in any place, as long as Haldir was there with me. I was so complete with him. There was no doubt or fear, just love and trust.

"Welcome." the Lady greeted us warmly as we stepped into the threshold. The Lord Celeborn stood at her side, smiling kindly at us. We bowed reverently to them, and then straightened to face the piercing blue gaze of the Lady of Lothlorien.

"We offer you our deepest congratulations." said the Lord Celeborn with a slight nod of his head. I lowered my head in thanks.

"The Lady and I wish to hold a feast in your honour, to celebrate your union." he continued. "Is that to your liking, Haldir? Lady Elenna?"

I looked up at Haldir uncertainly. I was reluctant at the idea of being the object of attention for so many people. He held my gaze, sensing my reluctance, reassuring me with a firm grip of my hand. I smiled at him and he returned it.

"It would be our honour, milord." He said, turning his gaze back to Lord Celeborn.

"Excellent." he replied. "The Lady and I will await you with your guests at the west hall tonight after nightfall."

We nodded in approval. The Lady stepped forward to address me. "I am happy for you child." she said softly, smiling tenderly at me. Holding my hands in hers, she leaned to give me a motherly kiss on my forehead. "Go with our blessings." she said, stepping back to take her place beside the Lord again. We bowed again and left them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Outside once again on the wooden pathways, we found ourselves strolling aimlessly along it into the city. I slipped my arm into the crook of his elbow and rested my head on his firm shoulder, enjoying this quiet moment of serenity.

_You are my family now…_

* * *

(Haldir) 

As we made our way along the winding pathway, she slipped her arm to entwine it with mine, resting her dark head on my shoulder. It was such an innocent act of trust, so genuinely from the heart, it made me love her all the more for it.

We continued this way until I recognized two familiar figures moving towards us from the other end of the pathway, grinning widely.

"Haldir, Lady Elenna." said Rumil and Orophin, coming up to greet us.

Elenna took her head off my shoulder to smile and greet them. "Well met, Rumil, Orophin." she said.

"So brother, I see you've finally made some progress." said Rumil, turning to me. He wore a rather mischievous grin on his face.

"I am his wife, Rumil." replied Elenna in her quiet voice, much to our surprise. I turned to look at her. She was not one to volunteer information.

My brother's eyebrows shot up.

"I would say more than enough progress, Rumil." Orophin said to him.

"Right you are, brother." Rumil replied, eyes looking at me with wonderment.

"Welcome, sister." Orophin said to Elenna, giving her a friendly smile, which was returned along with a slight nod of her head.

"We welcome you sister," said Rumil, turning to smile at her, "and hold you in high regard in that you could see through the arrogance that is our brother. Even we fail to see anything worthy to love in him sometimes."

He nudged Orophin and they both gave Elenna and me nearly identical roguish grins. I glared at them both. At this, Elenna's face broke into a wide smile and she laughed her laughter that sounded like the sparkling of stars among the heavens.

"They speak truly, Haldir" she smiled again, turning to me.

"Will not even you stand on my side, Elenna?" I said to her, but she only smiled.

"See brother, not even dear Elenna will help you." said Rumil, laughing with mirth. "You'll just have to accept the fact you are hopelessly arrogant." Orophin nodded his head fervently in agreement.

I gave them both a cold look and turned to face Elenna. She was looking at me serenely, but with a queer glint in her eye that I knew meant she was amused with my brother's antics.

I was still glaring menacingly at my brothers, who were now laughing fit to kill, when Elenna broke her bout of silence.

"You should not tease him so." She said, while my brothers tried to straighten their faces.

"Elenna I thought you were on our side." replied Rumil, looking a little hurt.

She smiled. "I am on no one's side." she said, "And I obey no one." She turned her smile on me.

"I thought we had this discussion already, Ranaew." I said smirking.

"I believe such things could work both ways." She said.

Her pleasant smile was beginning to look a bit scary. And she was right. I swallowed.

"You have a point." I said agreeing.

I have forgotten just how deadly this little bird can be, and I can't imagine what would happen when she finds out just how much power she has over me.

* * *

(Orophin) 

Me and Rumil watched in amusement as Haldir answered Elenna in an almost meek manner. Elenna could certainly put Haldir in his place. I chuckled.

I was happy for my brother, and pleased for dear Elenna. For an elleth who spoke even less than my brother, she definitely had a way with her words. As it proved with my brother, her words can be as deadly as her weapons, which bring us to the fact that she alone of all people matched my brother in his skill of battle.

There could not be two people in the world more made for each other. Yet I sense a great deal of mystery in her that not even my brother could imagine. We knew little of her besides her name. She spoke little of her past, and none at all about her family. Indeed, she has not known one before. But with her dark hair and white-grey eyes, I suspected her of Noldor birth, and there are few of the Noldor now left in Middle Earth.

Above all, she exerted a power that even my brother has noticed. "Like a powerful current beneath a silent river." he called it, but we knew naught what it was. But despite all this, sometimes she was as fragile and innocent and lost as a stray little bird, as my brother is so fond of calling her.

It was like she was two people at the same time. That was why she was so perilous. In her own way, she sort of reminded me of the Lady Galadriel. And she also mentioned once of the Lady's knowledge of her family, though the Lady would not tell her of it. I could not think of why the Lady would withhold such information. It was all so strange.

And I still wondered if Elenna would stay, though she was Haldir's wife now. Even though they are now bound to each other, there was nothing to stop her from leaving Lothlorien, although it might impede her. I fear if she went, my brother would become even more withdrawn than he is now.

_  
Oh brother I fear for you… you have set your heart on the restless wind._

**

* * *

**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

xxxxxxxx – passage of time

_italics_ – thoughts or memories

* * *

(Haldir) 

"So brothers, will you join us at the Lord and Lady's feast tonight?" I asked.

"Of course brother! Have you ever heard of there being a party and us not being there?" exclaimed Rumil. "What a question to ask!"

"Me and Rumil will be there." assured Orophin smiling.

"Now, what were we doing before we met up with Haldir and Elenna, Orophin?" Rumil said turning to Orophin.

"I can't quite recall…"

"Oh right, the blacksmith, come Orophin." replied Rumil, answering his own question. At this he dragged Orophin down the path the way we came.

"We'll leave you two alone for the rest of the afternoon!" Rumil called over his shoulder as they disappeared around the bend.

"They better." I muttered under my breath. Beside me, Elenna laughed again.

"Have you no sympathy, Ranaew?" I asked darkly.

"No." she said. Then, without further explanation, she continued walking, leaving me staring after her.

After walking some ways, she stopped and turned back to face me.

"Shall I continue this walk alone?" she asked, her head tilted to one side as she always did when she was in a mood to joke. I smiled at her.

"If it pleases my Lady, after all, she has no sympathy, so, neither do I." I said.

"Very well." she said and continued walking. I smiled. Such spirit she has. I silently ran up behind her and pulled her into my embrace.

"Thought you could escape me, did you?" I whispered into her ear.

"Why would I want that?" she replied.

"You're probably right, because you can't escape me anyhow." I said, smiling. "You are my wife."

She smiled shyly up at me. "And what would my Lord have me do?" she asked.

"Such obedience, Elenna! Whatever happened to "I obey no one"?" I said smiling at her surrender.

"I only asked. I never said I was going to comply." she said slyly.

"I thought there was more to that." I said. "But this is an order you cannot refuse."

"Oh?" she said with a look of mock astonishment.

"Kiss me." I whispered in her ear. She looked up at me with her white-grey eyes.

Then, tentatively, she placed a chaste kiss on my cheek and retreated.

"I'm afraid that's not good enough Ranaew." I said, smiling at the gesture. She was silent for a moment. Then she lifted her face to mine again, but this time she brought her lips to mine and kissed me full on the mouth.

I gave an inward moan; her lips were so soft and warm. I placed my hands on the small of her back and drew her to me, deepening our kiss.

As we drew apart, her eyes looked at me, as if she was awaiting an answer of some sort. I still revelled in the small moment of pleasantness, and said nothing.

"Was that to milord's liking?" she said finally.

"Very much." I replied, smiling. "It was very much to my liking."

Once again, she gave me a shy smile. I smiled back at her and gathered her hands in mine. She was still the innocent Ranaew, so childlike and chaste, nothing seemed to change that.

"Come," I said to her, "I want to show you something."

She looked at me curiously, with her old habit of tilting her head slightly to the right.

"Come." I said again, pulling her along gently. We descended through the city's winding and twisting pathways, until at last we reached the tall green gates of Caras Galadhon.

I nodded at the guards on duty, who readily opened the gates for us, and we stepped out into the golden forest of Lothlorien.

"Follow me." I said to her, leading her through the golden leaved trees, branches rustling ever so slightly in the gentle spring breeze. I led her on familiar paths through the forest, ever winding forward into the vast forest of gold, when we finally arrived at the place I sought to take her.

Sky reflected on a pond of bluest water. Whether the blue was from the pond or the sky, you could not tell. The surface of the water was still as glass, not a single ripple disturbed its surface. Around it, the proud golden Mellyrn stood tall, framing the pond with an edge of gold. This was my special place.

Elenna gasped, and then laughed. "This is the place, is it not?" she asked "The place that we dreamt of."

"It is." I replied. "This is the place in the world where I feel most at home, I often visit this place in my dreams at night."

"It is beautiful." she said in reverence. "Yet that does not seem to describe it either."

"No." I admitted. "There are no words for its beauty."

Then, as in our dream, she gathered my hands in hers and pulled me into a dance of joy. I laughed at her antics and spun her about me while she laughed along with me.

Finally, having grown dizzy at the twirling, I collapsed with her onto the soft earth that was carpeted with golden leaves of the Mellyrn. I looked into the shining silver eyes like stars sparkling with laughter below me.

"Are we still dreaming, Haldir?" she asked me. "This surely must be a dream."

"Maybe we are, Ranaew." I whispered softly to her. "Maybe we are still dreaming."

I held her to me, and we lay below that expanse of blue sky with the golden Mellyrn reaching up above into its cerulean heights, watching wordlessly. We did not move from our place on the carpet of golden leaves for a long while. The hours passed by us, but they seemed no more than minutes. Here, time had no meaning. Here, it was just us, and eternity stretching before us as far as the eye can see.

We did not speak again, but I heard the three little words she had said, in our dream of this place. It surrounded us and enclosed us in its cloak. So much said in so little words…

"_I love you..."_

* * *

(Elenna) 

How long we laid there under the blue sky, I did not know, but at last, the sun disappeared over the treetops and the sky turned a shade of violet and pink.

"We should return to the city," he said, breaking our silence. "Our feast starts at nightfall."

I did not answer him. I watched as he rose to his feet and then reached out his hand for me. I gave him it and he pulled me to my feet.

"Come Elenna," he said, "We do not want to be late for a feast that is in our honour." I nodded and followed him back through the wood to Caras Galadhon.

At the gates, we parted, he making his way to his talan and I to mine. We had little time to prepare for the feast, the light grows dimmer by the minute. Night was falling already.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was almost at the door of my talan when Nimloth came running up behind me.

"Milady!" she exclaimed. "It is good you are back. The feast is almost starting, we must get you dressed."

"Would not what I am wearing now not do?" I asked, "I was only coming here to adjust my hair, I fear it has gotten tangled in the wind."

"No milady, that would hardly do!" she said in exasperation. "This is your wedding feast! The Lady sent with me a dress for the occasion."

She handed me a carefully wrapped bundle. I untied the string about it and unfolded it to reveal an exquisite dress of the softest fabric that seemed to shimmer this way that in the light. The color was the most extraordinary feature of all. It seemed to be white and grey at the same time. Delicate embroidery adorned the neck and branched down to the hemline of the gown. The wide flowing sleeves were hemmed with more embroidery.

"It is too much." I said quietly.

"There is one more thing that the Lady wished to give you." Nimloth said. I looked at her in disbelief. She held out a silver diadem, a fine, intricately twisted mithril chain that bore a single small but magnificent white jewel on its front. It sparkled like a star in the heavens.

"This cannot be for me, Nimloth." I said to her.

"But it is." she replied, her voice faint with wonder as mine. "She told me specifically to give it to you, I jest you not."

"But it is only fitting for royalty to wear such adornment." I whispered.

"Maybe the Lady is trying to tell you something milady." she said to me.

We were silent for a few moments, simply staring at the radiant jewel. Finally Nimloth came to her senses.

"Come milady, time is short, we must get you ready for the feast!" she exclaimed.

She helped me slip on the silver dress, which fitted my every curve, and lace up the ties at the back. I sat still on the recliner as she pulled a comb through my hair and arranged my hair in a style a little more complicated than my usual fashion, securing it with tiny clasps.

Finally she held out the mithril diadem reverently to me. For a moment, I could only stare at it, but Nimloth nudged me gently with her foot. I took it from her and slowly encircled it about my head. Nimloth helped me secure it from the back.

Our work done, Nimloth pulled me in front of a mirror.

"Milady you look like a star that fell from the heavens." she whispered.

I laughed at this.

"So poetic, Nimloth!." I said smiling. But even I could not recognize the elleth staring back at me from the mirror.

"Let us go milady," Nimloth said to me. "The feast will have started by now."

I nodded in agreement and we made our way to the west hall of banquet.

* * *

(Haldir) 

I barely had time to rebraid my hair and change into a tunic suitable for the occasion, when the sun relinquished its final rays of light. Lanterns glowing with soft light lit the pathways as I hurried along them to the West Hall, greeted by well-wishers on the way.

As I reached the entrance to the hall, I was pulled inside abruptly by my brothers.

"You're late." they said in unison.

"I am well aware of that." I replied irritably.

"Where is Elenna?" asked Orophin.

"Yes where is she?" added Rumil. "Was she not supposed to come with you?"

"She is in her talan." I replied, "She will probably be along later."

"You did not wait for her?" Rumil said, raising an eyebrow.

"No…" I said rather sheepishly. Orophin shook his head in disgust.

"Well, since you are here already, we may as well get you to your seat." Rumil said, steering me purposefully to the table at the head of the banquet hall, where the Lord and the Lady already presided at.

"Join us Haldir." said the Lady, gesturing to the seat beside her and smiling graciously.

I sat down. An elleth I recognized as one of the Lady's maidens filled the cup before me with wine. I surveyed the banquet hall; it was quickly filling up with merrymakers coming to enjoy a good party. Still there was no sign of Elenna. Could she have gotten lost? I mentally kicked myself for not going to collect her.

"She is not lost Haldir." the Lady said to me. "There is just a slight delay. Nimloth is with her, she will be along shortly."

"What could be taking her so long?" I asked, but the Lady merely smiled mysteriously.

"The minds of women are not for us to know, my friend." Lord Celeborn said to me with a serene smile. "Let them keep their secrets."

I nodded and fell silent, watching my brothers, who were sitting at the table nearest us, collecting wagers for a drinking game commencing later tonight. The hall was almost filled up, yet there was no Elenna. Guests came up to congratulate me, but I only listened half-heartedly and returned their sentiments while anxiously peering towards the door of the hall.

"She will come." the Lady assured me, as I checked the entrance for the millionth time. "Do not worry."

"Come Haldir! Who do you think will win the drinking contest tonight?" my brothers yelled to me from their table, surrounded by their friends from the guard. "Will it be Amdir or Bregalad?"

"Truly I do not know." I said a little wearily.

"Aw come now Haldir!" Rumil exclaimed. "It is your wedding feast. Have some fun with us!"

"I would say Amdir, Rumil." the Lady spoke suddenly beside me. We all looked to the Lady in surprise. "He can make a swift end to a barrel of finest Imladris cordial, if I recall correctly."

The Lady gave Amdir, the tall golden blond one in the middle, a knowing smile. The said elf in question flushed in embarrassment. The others roared in laughter.

"And how much would you wager on him, milady?" Rumil asked boldly. The Lady smiled again, but instead rose to her feet, looking at something at the entrance of the banquet hall. Everyone's eyes followed hers to the figure that presently appeared in the doorway of the hall.

My breath caught in my throat. Eru above, was this magnificent being truly Elenna?

A hush descended on the recently rowdy crowd of the banquet. Valar! It was Elenna,

but oh she was stunning! Clad in a flowing silver dress, hair pulled up in intricate interweaving strands, she was breathtaking. But what caught the eye was a silver diadem of mithril chains set with a brilliant white jewel that dazzled the eye. She looked like a star of the heavens. It was this curious diadem that set off an instant buzz of conversation.

The mark of royalty.

She smiled shyly at the guests and then caught my eye, smiling timidly, and started to slowly make her way through the hall to the high table where I sat with the Lord and Lady. Hushed whispers rippled through the hall.

"_the Elemmirë…" "Star jewel…"_

It seemed to take her ages to get to where I was standing.

"Elenna…" I breathed, taking her hands in mine. She looked a little frightened by all the people around us.

"We are glad you could join us, child." the Lady stepped forward to greet her warmly. Elenna suddenly dropped in a kneel, only to be stopped by the Lady.

"My Lady … these things… why?" she asked in a voice no more than a whisper. The Lady smiled but did not answer.

"Friends." the Lord Celeborn rose to address the crowd. "We gather here today to rejoice in the union of our loyal march warden, Haldir son of Beledir, to Elenna of the woods."

The crowd had ceased their murmurs and now cheered happily.

"We give the most precious jewel of Lothlorien to him for his keeping, our – Elemmirë." the Lord continued. At this, murmurs broke out again.

This time, it was the Lady who raised her hand for silence.

She spoke in a low voice not much above a whisper. "Most do not remember, but we do not forget." She took Elenna's hands in her own. Elenna had a look of bewilderment on her. The Lady then led her to the front of the table, placing her hand in mine. The Lord Celeborn smiled down kindly at her.

"We rejoice this night, of the union of Haldir son Beledir, to Elenna Elemmirë, daughter of Aranwë and of Nimbrethil, sister of Celebrían and daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel."

_

* * *

Notes –List of Names: _

_Amdir- random name, might not exist, not sure about meaning, if you do please enlighten me_

_Bregalad – 'Quickbeam' Sindarin (borrowed from LOTR , Ent name)_

_Beledir – another random name…hope you don't mind_

_Elemmirë -'Star-jewel' – Quenya_

_Elen -'star', mirë -'jewel'_

_One of the stars created by Varda in the beginning of days._

_Aranwë –not sure about meaning but 'ar(a)' usually means 'high, noble, royal'_

_original character is an elf of Gondolin, father of Voronwë _

_(for more info, see "The Silmarillion")_

**

* * *

You thought I'd never keep writing did you? well I'm sure I made up for ( what was it?) … 3? 4? months of not writing in this chapter. School was just getting in the way and I kind of got tired of writing…but anyways I hope to keep continuing during the summer. And the drama begins! I hope y'all enjoyed it. I don't think this particular AU has ever been written before… well at least not that I've read of. **

**I think this is actually the best chapter I've written! hahahah je suis très intelligente... haha there goes my french again. Enjoy!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

xxxxxxxxxxxxx- passage of time

_italics_ - thoughts or memories

Warnings: none

* * *

(Galadriel) 

_My granddaughter…_

I looked down to see her looking up at me with her shining eyes.

Her mother's eyes.

She has the dark hair of her father's people, and of mine, the Noldor, yet in the sunlight it glistens with the silver of her mother's hair, the color of the Sindar, the people of my husband.

I looked into her searching eyes and let her see the image of her mother that had haunted her all her life, but cannot remember. She saw now her face as I remember her: glinting silver hair, wide white-grey eyes, delicate nose, small mouth and pointed chin.

So alike they were, my daughters, yet she was as delicate as a young sapling of the silver birch tree, for which she was named.

Nimbrethil.

* * *

(Elenna) 

The Lady held my gaze, her eyes filled with love and also sadness. Then suddenly, an image flashed before my eyes.

/flash/

_An elleth with silver hair ran laughing through the woods. She turned around to glance back at someone over her shoulder and I saw her face._

_A fair oval face with a pointed chin was framed by her flashing silver hair. Her eyes shone white-grey with mirth, her nose was small and delicate and her mouth was stretched in a warm smile, looking directly into my eyes._

/flash/

I felt I knew this elleth, she looked so familiar, yet not so.

"It is yourself you see in her, child." the Lady said softly to me. "You are the living image of her."

"My mother?" I said uncertainly. The Lady made no reply, but after a moment she gave a slight nod.

The hall was silent, even the muttering had ceased. The room glowed with the soft light given off by the small lanterns hanging from the pillars.

I looked back at Haldir, who still held my hand in his. His face wore a passive expression that I could not decipher.

It was the Lord Celeborn who broke the silence at last.

"Come friends," he said warmly, "let us celebrate this joyful day, a day of union, of a couple and of a family. Let us drink to this happy occasion!"

At this, the guests raised their cups in a toast and drank. After that, happy laughter and talk broke out again amongst the guests. I felt a tug on my hand and found myself led by Haldir back to the high table, where sat the Lord and Lady having returned to their seats before us. The Lady smiled at me, and I suddenly had a feeling of closeness with her.

Throughout the feast, we were often approached with heartfelt congratulations. Rumil and Orophin also took the chance to come to talk with us.

"My lady." they said politely, grinning widely and dropping into a deep bow so low that it would have sent them toppling to the floor had they gone any lower. I laughed at their antics while Haldir only frowned.

"Now brother," Rumil said, seeing Haldir's expression. "You shouldn't frown so much, it is unbecoming."

"It is rather hard not to when your brothers are making a fool of themselves." Haldir replied.

"Us? Making a fool of ourselves? How you wound us, brother." replied Rumil, feigning a hurt look on his face, which only made Haldir frown more.

I laughed again. "Come Haldir." I said, taking hold of his hand in mine, "they do no harm. Eat, drink, be merry! It is a joyous day." I smiled at him and his face softened into a loving smile. I rose from the table and let go of his hands, he gave me a questioning look but I only smiled and left the high table quietly, slipping away to the open terrace to the left side of the hall. He did not follow.

Cheery music drifted in from the hall, yet it sounded distant to my ears. I looked down upon the city. The soft lights of gold and green lit the darkness as it did the night I first came to Caras Galadhon. Nothing has changed, yet everything has. Time leaves no stain upon the woods of Lothlorien, yet it has left a stain upon my heart. For good or evil, I know not, but I regret none that has come to pass in this wood. Here I have found great joy, for here I have found…my family.

So I was, I am, Elenna, daughter of Aranwë and Nimbrethil, granddaughter of the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien. Nimbrethil was my mother.

Nimbrethil.

/flash/

_I was playing in a roomy hallway. The twilight sun shone through the open windows. The sound of water, falling water could be heard, echoing through the lush green valley. I was in a great house, built against its steep sides and its many white waterfalls._

"_Nimbrethil!" called a rich deep voice. _

"_My lord!" exclaimed a familiar gentle voice. Where have I heard it before?_

_A woman with silver hair, dressed in blue as dark and as velvety as the night sky, appeared in the doorway._

"_Come little one, your father is home, will you not greet him?" she said, smiling to me._

/flash/

My heart filled with a strange longing for that homely green valley with its white falls. Perhaps they are still there, my mother and my father, in that great house built in the cradle of the valley.

"They are not there."

I turned to see the Lady standing behind me. I gave her a small curtsey, and rose to meet her deep blue eyes.

"They are not there." she said again softly, I felt great sorrow in her. "Nor will they ever grace its halls again." She held me in her gaze. I said nothing, but it was then I knew.

"They have gone to the Halls of Waiting, they walk now on the green grass of Valinor, until the breaking of the world."

_Valinor._

I said nothing to this, nor had I anything to say. The Lady understood, and did not go on.

"I will see them again will I not? I will see them again one day, in Valinor." I said after a long moment of silence, looking up at her with hopeful eyes.

The Lady smiled, "In Valinor, one day you will meet, under the unfading stars." she said. I smiled back at her kind face. Thus we looked upon each other for long moments, as if, wordlessly, we were making acquaintance with each other again, and we were.

"You have such hope child, such beautiful innocence." She said gently to me. "Do not loose it." Her slender white hand came up, caressing my face lovingly.

"So like your mother…" she murmured.

"My Lady," I began, "Haldir has only ever named Lady Celebrían as your daughter, how be it that he did not know of Nimbrethil my mother?"

The Lady gave me a wistful smile. "There are few in Lothlorien that ever knew of my younger daughter, for few have seen her." She sighed.

"Your mother was born in Eregion during its days of glory, in its mighty halls, fair and lively with light, for it had not yet fallen to the shadow. My husband delighted in her, but it was Celebrían who loved her most dearly. Your mother and her, they were most alike in form of face, yet your mother loved the woods and trees, and did not care much for company of people. Only with Celebrían she played at times, while others she slipped away to the little creeks and rivers in the woods of Eregion.

Yet three hundred years had not passed when Eregion fell to ruin, its forests burnt and its halls destroyed, for Annatar had betrayed us and in the secret fires of Mordor he forged the One Ring of Power. Many there were who was slain that day in Eregion, and the Three that came to us were hidden.

So it was that we came to the land of Laurelindorénan, ruled by the King Amroth, to escape the servants of Mordor. Even then its beauty was unparalleled, and what people that escaped the ruin of Eregion stayed and made their home in its lush forests. Your mother above all loved its forest, but, like you, she was not fond of the city. So we built for her a talan, as far in the outskirts of the wood as we deemed it safe. There she spent her days among the trees she loved so much and seldom stepped foot into Caras Galadhon. When she did, she was often mistaken for her sister. Most that lived here thought me to have only one daughter, your aunt Celebrían."

At this, the Lady paused as if to think for a while.

"But did you not tell them of her?" I asked, "Surely you would not have denied your own daughter."

The Lady smiled again. "And what help will it be to my daughter? No, it was her wish to remain unnamed and unmentioned. She liked not attention or company, what were titles to her? Not when Amroth left the realm, never to return, and we were made its Lord and Lady did we tell of her to the people of Caras Galadhon. In any case my daughter was good at staying hidden from curious eyes, if any saw her it was not more than just a glimpse. It was she who discovered first the old guard walkways high above the city. It was there in the high talan where Celebrían would meet her when she came to Caras Galadhon."

There she paused again, but after a moment she continued.

"Long years passed, and my daughters grew into maturity. Then, it came to pass that Celebrían found favour in the eyes of Elrond Halfelven, Lord of Imladris, and they wed with great joy at midsummer of that year. Thus Celebrían went to live in the house of Elrond, but she could not bear to be parted from her sister, she loved her too dearly. With great reluctance did Nimbrethil leave the woods of Lothlorien, for love of her sister she went with her to Imladris. In accord with her wish, none there know of her save Elrond, and she lived there with them for many happy years.

It was there that she met your father, Aranwë, one high in the council of Elrond. He was one of the House of Glorifindel, a survivor of the sack of Gondolin, though not yet as old as Glorifindel himself, for he was but an elfling when he left its ruin. Your father had eventually discovered your mother's relation to Celebrían, and so they developed a great friendship, though after much trial. Your mother did not talk much in detail of their courtship, but I believe she was drawn to him as you are drawn to Haldir. In any case, there was no doubt that they loved each other deeply.

It was a happy day, the day of their wedding, and still none knew of Nimbrethil's true lineage– that she was the sister of the Lady of Imladris herself. They thought her only as a maiden of Lady Celebrían's, brought from Lothlorien, as she had appeared to be the day she arrived in Imladris."

The Lady then again paused, looking out over the glittering green and gold lights of Lothlorien. The gentle night breeze brushed by us, and the noises in the hall grew increasingly rowdier.

After a while she spoke again.

"You were born there, in the green valley of Imladris, surrounded by its white falls, lush green fields and the rushing cool waters of the Bruinen. Such a fair child you were, bright eyed and joyful. What was remarkable was that you were like to your cousin, Celebrían's daughter, as your mother was to her sister, though maybe the resemblance was not as evident as my daughters'. You and Arwen played often together in your uncle's halls as elflings. You were so fond of her."

She smiled at me, and I saw before my eyes another vision.

/flash/

"_Come Lena, run faster or else adar will catch us again!" beckoned a young elleth with dark hair that was almost appeared black, flowing in soft waves down her back. We ran laughing through a green field towards one of the waterfalls crashing down the side of the valley._

"_Wait for me!" I said gasping as she got ahead of me. "I haven't got your long legs Ari, I'm not as old as you."_

"_Come Lena, we're almost there." she replied. _

/flash/

"You were the stars of your people, bright jewels of Imladris. And so you were named Undomiel and Elemmirë, for the stars of Varda that shines side by side in the night sky, one after the other. Arwen for the Evenstar, that appears first in the twilight, you for the Star Jewel that shines beside it when night falls. Already you were both so fair in childhood, and inseparable from each other."

The Lady was smiling absentmindedly out over the city. Sorrow again came into her eyes.

"But it was not to be, those happy times. Though Sauron was defeated and his servants scattered, it was not long until evil returned to Dol Goldur. All left of Sauron's servants hunted unceasingly for me and my kin, for you see Sauron hated me above all his enemies. He had tried always to perceive my mind but he cannot for it is shut to him. Long has he hated me, even since the days of Eregion. We perceived the shadow that fell upon Greenwood, and we knew that Sauron yet lives.

It was when your mother and father chose to return to Lothlorien with you that he struck. He sent his servant, one of the Nine, for this task. We did not foresee it. Ever he has tried to destroy me but he cannot for about Lothlorien I have placed my powerful enchantments, protecting my beloved wood. Imladris he cannot besiege for the power of Elrond dwells there. But my youngest daughter…he easily caught."

She stopped. I felt a sudden coldness travel through my body. There was a slight tremor in the Lady's voice as she continued.

"We do not know what happened. Then, we had not known what it was that dwelled in the shadow of Dol Goldur. It appeared they were waylaid near the Glanduin, many days from Imladris. We never…found their bodies, though I suspect the orcs had defiled them and fed them to the wolves. There was no doubt that they were dead, there was too much blood on the ground for them to have lived."

I gave a sharp intake of breath. It was a terrible thing to hear, though I had never known them. A chill seemed to be on the air.

The Lady sighed.

"Celebrían was much aggrieved; she forbade any talk of her sister though in her heart she has never been able to forget her. What little people that knew of her dared not mention her name again. So it was that my little daughter was forgotten, lost in the march of time… until today."

She turned to me.

"I dared not believe my eyes the day Haldir brought you before me, alive and grown into the very image of your mother. But when you asked me of your family, I could not tell you. I thought it best if you did not know, for clearly you did not remember the terrible thing that befell your family. What good would it have done you to know of their gruesome death? No, you were happier without that knowledge as you probably know now. It would have been better if you had not known…"

My eyes rose to meet hers.

"I am not afraid, milady." I told her. She smiled warmly at this. She took my hands in her own and pulled me into her embrace.

It was such a different feeling, so warm and kindly. It was like a mother's embrace, though I had never known my mother. She placed a light kiss on my forehead.

"Dear child, did you think I did not know you?" she said smiling again. "You would have never rested until you found out. Sometimes it is better knowing than to remain ignorant forever, at whatever the cost."

She lifted my face to hers.

"It is ignorance that is most perilous, knowledge gives us power."

I looked smiling into her kind blue eyes and she smiled back.

"I ask your pardon, Elenna, for not telling you." She continued, looking over the trees. "I thought it for the best for that time."

"You had every right, milady." I said to her. She smiled again.

"In any case, titles have a way of unnecessarily worrying people of certain things like…honour." She said. "Especially, a certain march warden." She looked at me pointedly with a twinkle in her eye. I smiled.

A deafening roar of laughter exploded from within the hall, disturbing us from our conversation.

"You better rejoin the feast, child," she said, "It would not do for a wedding feast to miss its bride."

I gave the Lady a small curtsey again. "I take your leave then…grandmother." I said uncertainly. She smiled.

"Go, child."

I turned and re-entered into the rowdy hall. It seemed that the merrymaking had reached a high point.

"Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!" an immense crowd was piled around a table where a drinking contest seemed to be taking place, but I could not see the contestants. Jolly music echoed through the hall.

I looked to the high table, which was empty except for Lord Celeborn, who was looking with amusement at the crowded table.

Suddenly I felt a pair of hands on my shoulder and I spun around to face an extremely cheery looking Rumil.

"Come Elenna, you must see this." He said. Then without another word, I was dragged through the crowd towards the table where Orophin stood beside one of the drinkers.

It was Haldir.

By the looks of the many cups scattered on the table, they had both drunk a ridiculously enormous amount of liquor. Both were looking rather flushed in the face. Rumil was looking immensely pleased with himself. Orophin looked slightly worried.

As I came to the table, the crowd grew noticeably less boisterous, watching me to see what I would do.

"How long have they been at this, Orophin." I asked him. Haldir had not seemed to notice me.

"Since you disappeared." He replied. "Rumil somehow managed to convince Haldir to have a drinking contest with Amdir. I have never thought Haldir could hold in so much liquor, neither of them seems to be relenting." He looked rather impressed. At this moment, Amdir chose to do a backward swoon, to the great amusement of the crowd. Rumil cheered happily. Several elves near the poor drunken elf helped him back onto a seat, but he seems to have passed out entirely. Haldir seemed to discern enough of this to stop drinking, but he did not look much better himself. Orophin had moved toward the unconscious elf to help him, and I held out an arm to steady him when he began wheeling on the spot. He looked ready to keel over then and there. He grabbed my arm to steady himself and somehow recognized me.

"Where 'ave you been Ranaew?" he said with quite a slur, several people chuckled at this.

"With the Lady." I replied holding on to him again as he made another slight swoon. He did not say anything more.

"You are much too drunk Haldir, you –" but I did not get to finish my sentence as he had pulled me into his arms and kissed me full on the mouth in plain sight of the entire crowd. His mouth tasted heavily of wine. Around us the crowd broke into a roar of laughter and started whistling and catcalling. After what seemed to be ages he released me, and stumbled backwards. He did not seem to be capable of walking anywhere at the moment. Thinking, I picked up a full cup of wine from the table and held it to him. Orophin looked bewilderedly at me but I shook my head. Haldir took the cup from my hand and downed it in one gulped. Then he fainted on the spot, collapsing onto a nearby table. The crowd laughed even louder. I could not help smiling. He looked so amusing.

"What are we going to do with him Elenna? He won't even be able to walk now." said Rumil worriedly. I glanced at him.

"This is your doing, you deal with him." I said. The crowd broke out in a fresh peal of laughter, several people clapped Rumil on the back. Reluctantly, he picked up Haldir with Orophin and began slowly dragging him towards the door to the hall. I watched their retreating backs with amusement. After they had disappeared from the hall, I made my way back to the High Table where the Lady had already joined Lord Celeborn. The noise in the hall had returned to normal and several people had begun dancing to the happy music.

The Lady said no word to me as I sat down, but only smiled again. I nod my head to her and started on the food. It was not until then that I had noticed I was incredibly hungry.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By the time Rumil and Orophin slipped back into the feasting hall, the night's activities were drawing to an end. They had come in by the side door, but were still noticed by quite a lot of their friends and there was some laughter over how Rumil had brought about Haldir's involvement in a particularly spectacular drinking contest. Rumil immediately put them in their place by demanding the winnings of their wagers. Apparently, he had put a heavy bet on Haldir. There was a flurry of argument over this while Orophin glanced up at me and gave me a sheepish smile. I gave him a nod of my head as he made his way up to the table.

"He is in his talan, Elenna." He said, "Though I reckon he'll be passed out till noon tomorrow. He has drunk a lot of wine, powerful wine at that."

The scene of Haldir, drunk, brought a smile to my face and I started chuckling, which quickly turned to a laugh. I suppose the whole hall was staring at me as I laughed heartily, my head in my hands. Orophin couldn't help smiling also, and he laughed with me.

Some time later I collected myself and smiled warmly at Rumil, who had by then wheedled quite a bit of gold out of his dejected looking friends, and was now looking at me a bit worriedly, as if he thought I had been having a little too much wine as well.

"Come now Rumil," I said merrily to him, "You must tell me how you did it."

"Did what, milady?" he said, though I suspect, by the mischievous glint in his eye, that he knew what I was talking about.

"How ever did you get him to take part in a _drinking contest_!" I said exasperatedly.

He grinned wickedly. "Let just say he did it for the sake of his lady's honour." He said. Several people laughed at this. I smiled, but said nothing.

So, they have used me to get at Haldir. You never knew what those two will come up with next.

It was not long before the guest began to disperse, leaving the hall one by one after approaching me with good wishes and good nights (or in the case of Rumil and Orophin, apologetic words). Finally, there was only me left in the hall with the Lord and Lady.

"I thank you for this feast, milord, milady." I said to them. They looked at me with warm smiles.

"It is nothing, granddaughter." The Lord replied. The Lady stepped forward to face me. "We wish you happiness, dear child." She said smiling. I found myself once again in her warm embrace. Lord Celeborn watched us with a kind smile on his face.

"Dear, dear Elenna, you need not have these formalities with us." The Lady said softly in my ear. "You are family."

Somehow, her kindly words brought tears of joy to my face.

"Grandmother…" I whispered. I looked up at the Lady's face to find that she was teary-eyed also.

"Come, the hour is late. Go rest, we will speak in the morning." She said as we drew apart. I gave them a small nod of my head, then turned and left the hall, making my way back to Haldir's talan, where Orophin and Rumil had taken their drunken brother.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The talan was quiet. Moonlight streamed in through the wide windows, swirling in milky patterns on the smooth wooden floor. I closed the door quietly behind me, and walked silently through the open doorway of the bedroom.

Orophin and Rumil had somehow managed to change Haldir into more comfortable clothing, and on closer examination, managed to wash his face as well, though he still reeked strongly of wine. I sat lightly down on the bed beside him. I could still see the flush in his cheek by the pale moonlight. His silvery-gold hair glistened, spilling over the pillows. I sighed. Rising, I took myself out of the room to a recliner by the open terrace. I lay down on the soft cushions, thinking over what had transpired. So much had changed in one day.

After a time, I felt the mithril chains of the silver diadem digging into my head as I lay on the cushions. I sat up. Reaching up, I undid it and lay it lovingly on a small table beside the recliner. I realized that I was still in the magnificent silver dress that the Lady had given me. I felt it best to change into something more suitable for sleeping, yet there was nothing to change into, for I was in Haldir's talan. Looking around, I wandered into the bedroom again, looking through drawers for something remotely likely to fit me.

After a careful search, I donned on a white tunic and some grey leggings that were rather loose on me. I adjusted them the best I can and then folded the silver dress neatly into a bundle, placing it onto a nearby chair. I undid the intricate braids in my hair, hastily running my fingers through my hair to smooth it down.

I felt weary as I have never been before. So many thoughts were swirling in my head, so many of them. I found it hard to quiet and repress them. I lay down again onto the velvety material of the recliner, thinking.

I had found my family at last, my family that I had searched for so long. They were here in Lothlorien, the Lord and Lady, my mother's family. But my mother and father, they had met such horrible ends. How did I escape it? I could not have been more than a child then, a very young child, perhaps not even pass my 50th year. How did I escape the terrible fate that the enemy had designed for my family? I could not remember at all.

And then there was Imladris, and my cousin. I would very much like to see her again, though I recall little of the time we had spent together in our childhood. I wanted to see again that green valley between the cliffs where I was born, and where my mother and father had lived in the house of my uncle. Where I lived with them for a few happy years.

Maybe the Lady was right, maybe I was better off not knowing, for it pains me so, this knowledge. And I sense there was much the Lady failed to tell me, and the feeling hangs upon me like some terrible thing that yet lurks beneath the surface of a calm lake, ever waiting, bidding its time until it springs up abruptly at its unsuspecting prey. There was some dark secret that this family held, something that made the enemy hunt them relentlessly, never resting until it had searched us out and destroyed us.

Every.

Last.

One.

* * *

**I've been dying to write this chapter ever since I thought up this story. The angst is having a good start here and the story is definitely going to get darker. and more interesting... anyways enjoy!**

**Note: I have made a very nice pencil sketch of Elenna, so if anyone wants to see (finally!) how she should look like, please send me an email and I will personally send it to you -- I would put it on the web but I haven't had time yet. SO... there you go! watch out for the next chapter coming soon.**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

**Warnings**- this is for you Crecylol...sexual innuendos/situations (strong PG-13 to light R) nothing serious its only a quick shot

indicates change of POV

passage of time

_italics_ thoughts or memories

* * *

(Haldir) 

Bright light shone into my eyes, shaking me at last from the fetters of sleep. I could not remember for the life of me where I was. My head was throbbing most unpleasantly. I sat up listlessly, my limbs heavy as if they were dragging iron chains. Where was I?

Intense sunlight filled the room. It was most likely high noon. I was in my bedroom, lying on my bed, in clothes that I had not remembered wearing the night before. What had happened last night? Memories began flooding into my mind.

Ah, my brother and the drinking contest.

I should have known better. By the looks of it they had gotten me more drunk than I had ever been in my life – I had always made a point of keeping my wits about me when I drink. I just hope I did not make a fool of myself in front the entire population of Lothlorien. I will never live that down. Groaning, I pressed one palm against my throbbing temple and rose from the bed. And where was Elenna? I walked from my room into the main chamber of the talan where I was greeted by a most peculiar sight.

Elenna was curled onto a recliner under the window by the terrace, fast asleep. She was wearing odd clothes that did not fit her at all, and a closer look confirmed my suspicion that she had raided my drawers. The white tunic was much too large for her and had slipped down one pale shoulder during the course of her slumber. Her silky dark hair fell over her shoulders and spilled over the sea green cushion that she tightly to her chest, as if she was afraid it would fly away if she did not hold on firmly enough. Silently, I approached the recliner, careful not the disturb her.

"Sweet Elenna…" I whispered.

So deep was her sleep that she did not even stir at my words. I reached out on hand tentatively and caressed her tranquil face. My eyes travelled down from her face to the splash of milky white throat that showed through the dark curtain of her hair. Her skin looked too delicate to touch. I turned my gaze back to her face and skimmed over the familiar features that I loved so much. The graceful arch of her brows, her small yet prominent nose, the pale red of her lips.

Yet now that I was nearer, her fair countenance seemed to be marred by a dark shadow that seemed to have fallen over her. She seemed to be trapped in the grasp of some horrendous creature that would not let her go. Her hands clutched ever more tightly at the cushion and her face was contorted into a pained expression. She was caught in the throes of a ghastly dream.

"Elenna, wake up." I said softly into her ear.

I could not bear to see her so troubled. In a way, I blamed myself for not being there to ease away her fears. Yet still she did not wake. I gently shook her shoulder and her eyes sprang wide-open, a raging storm of flashing silver. Without warning, one pale hand shot out and grasped my own and she sat straight up, looking over my shoulder at some unseen thing.

"He is coming for me." Her voice said in a terrible whisper.

"It was only a dream, Ranaew." I said soothingly, "nothing more."

"He is coming." She whispered again, her eyes still carrying that dreadful look.

"Elenna." I said a louder tone, trying to shake that look from her face. She started and her eyes focused on me again.

"Haldir." She murmured. "You are awake."

"You look terrible Ranaew." I said concernedly, "Tell me what disturbs your dreams."

"It was nothing Haldir." She said, though there was still a tremor in her voice.

I wrapped my arms around her and rested my chin on the top of her head. Her breathing was still uneven and ragged.

After a moment I released her. She looked up at me, the terrible look gone from her, but I thought I saw a sliver of the shadow still lingering on her face. However, I did not inquire further.

"It is nothing." She said again, this time more softly. I looked into her eyes anxiously, but she gave me a small smile and I was appeased.

"Go for a wash, you reek of wine." She said. I laughed at this.

"Ever painfully truthful you are Ranaew." I said. She smiled again, this time more cheerfully.

"I am not one for flattery, Haldir. You know this." She replied. I smiled back.

"I leave you then, milady." I said, giving her a mock bow. She smiled widely and gave me a small nod of her head. Smiling to myself, I turned and left to rid myself of the results of last night's drinking contest.

* * *

(Elenna) 

Grasping at a dream is like hopelessly trying to gather fog in your hands. All I could remember was running, running from something terrible that would surely catch me if I stop. A feeling of dread hung upon the clear afternoon light. Haldir had gone, and I felt alone again.

I rose from the soft recliner and walked toward the open windows. The day was glorious, warming the air and filling it with the sweet perfume of the blooming flowers. I sighed. It was not a day to be fretful on. The delightful spring wind eased away fears as the shadows are lessened by sunlight. I breathed in deeply the fragrance on the wind.

Covering myself with a cloak borrowed again from among Haldir's clothing, I set out swiftly from the talan, making way back to my own. It would not do at all to remain in these clothes. Thankfully, buried deep in the folds of the green cloak, I passed unnoticed through the winding walkways. I breathed a sigh of relief when I stepped back inside my own talan and shut the door.

The talan remained unchanged from when I had left it two days ago after returning from the woods and guard duty. My grey tunic and cloak lay thrown over the back of a chair, beside white-handled twin daggers and my bow. The white dress that I had slipped out of so hastily the night before had fallen in a pile on the floor. The unbound draperies fluttered in the breeze.

I gathered up the soiled clothing and made my way into my bedchamber. I could use a bath as well.

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The cool water refreshed me immensely, washing all worries from my mind, along with the shadowy dreams of the night. I rose from my bath revived and full of energy. I slid on a dress as green as a leaves illuminated by the sunlight and wove into my hair a single strand of green twine that pulled my dark hair back from my face. I felt as joyful as spring. Laughing to myself I spun around my talan, twirling onto the sunny terrace.

I looked out onto Caras Galadhon. Every time I stood upon this balcony, the scene that stretched before my eyes seemed to be changed. Now as I stand there, the golden had all but fallen and the trees were standing white and bare. Yet there could be seen between the bare eaves of the branches, small but brilliantly green leaves that emerged and unfurled, giving the trees an oddly pale green fuzzy look. Three springs had come and gone since I had first stepped foot into Lothlorien, and still I had not seen every face of its beauty.

Softly singing to myself, I left my talan and wandered absentmindedly down the pathway.

* * *

(Haldir) 

When I returned from my wash, rid of all traces of wine, I found Elenna gone from my talan. Where had the little bird flown again? Always she is restless. I chuckled to myself and set out for a stroll in the warm afternoon sun that filtered down in golden strands from between the near bare eaves of the mellyrn. As I walked, passer-bys greeted me with respectful bows which I returned. Times before, the people of Caras Galadhon had bowed because I was the march warden and Captain of the guard of Lothlorien. But now, I knew there was one more reason for their esteem. It was because now, I was also the grandson of the Lord and Lady, because I had wedded their granddaughter.

I had never known of Elenna's true lineage. It was true that I found her dark hair odd, but I had never remembered it to be the features of the Noldor, the High-Elven kindred that had seen the light of Valinor. I had known that the Lady was Noldor also, but she had the golden hair of her Vanyarin parentage, a color much closer to that of the Silvan and in sharp contrast to the dark coloring of the Noldor. There are now few of that people left in the lands of Middle Earth, they had all but left these shores. All that remained were the people of Lord Elrond's household, the Lady, and perhaps one and two of her maidens.

I had never thought to account Elenna amongst their kindred, despite her obvious display of their features. The Noldor had always thought themselves more superior and refined than those of the Úmanyar which they called us, the races of the Sindar and the Silvan, the Eldar not of Aman. Elenna had seemed more like to the wood elves than any other. She was one who knew the woods and trees, who had walked beside the melodious waters of Middle Earth and lived by it. Elenna had not the icy arrogance of the Deep Elves who call themselves the Wise. She was pure and genuine of heart. This just goes to show the virtues of being raised by wood elves. Not all who dwell among the trees must be what the Noldor call "rustic".

And then again, even if I had realized Elenna to be one of the Noldor, I would have never imagined her to be one of the Lord and Lady's kin. How had Elenna been lost to her kin for such long years unnumbered, she of the highest born family in all of Middle Earth? How had they allowed Elenna, a mere child then, to be lost to the wilderness? And then there was the matter of the Lady's younger daughter, the Lady Nimbrethil, Elenna's mother. Not in all my long years have I ever heard tell of a second daughter to the Lady of Lothlorien.

I was really no closer to knowing about Elenna than the day I had met her in the Northern Fences of Lothlorien. Every new thing I learnt about her just seemed to lead me into more confusion. She really was an enigma inside a mystery…

I was shaken from my thoughts by the sound of soft singing that was drifting around the bend of the pathway, coming towards me. Even though it was sung softly, I could hear it quite well. The happy tune was unfamiliar, but the sweet voice that sang it could be no other.

It was Elenna.

Smiling to myself, I quickly dodged into an empty pavilion nearby just as she rounded corner of the walkway. The sight of her brought a wide smile to my face. She was dressed in lively green with a piece of living twine woven into her dark hair. She was smiling and singing softly to herself, while fawning over a tiny white bird that seemed to follow her around everywhere. It twittered happily in her hand, occasionally rose to flutter around her as she laughed and twirled with it, then returning to her outstretched arm again. She was a lovely sight to behold.

Soon, she passed me by onto the pathway from which I had came from, still singing softly to herself and the little white bird. I slipped quietly from the pavilion where I had been hiding and silently followed her down the path. The little white bird fluttered away this time for good, but she did not seem to notice my presence and continued strolling contentedly down the walkway. Still, I followed her at a distance.

She rounded another bend in the ever winding walkways and I lost sight of her for a moment. As I rounded the corner myself, however, I found no trace of her. The singing had stopped. I looked around curiously, wondering where she could have gone.

Elenna was nowhere to be seen, she seems to have disappeared into thin air. Mystified I leant back against the trunk of one of the large mallorn trees that supported the wooden walkways, pushing away some of the stray branches. As I did this, I revealed before me, one of the narrow wooden walkways that I recognized as the ones that ran far above in the treetops, running the entire length of the city. I had forgotten about this particular branch of it entirely.

So, that was how she made her escape.

I climbed up onto it by the grey rope ladder that was all but concealed in the overgrown branches. I followed it pulling sharply up from the city into the distant green canopy. I still caught no glimpse of Elenna. I was finding harder to keep silent now for the wooden walkways were old and prone to creaking. It swayed dangerously as I finally reached the familiar platform below a rope ladder that led up into the old abandoned watch tower.

I hesitated a moment, but decided to climb up into the high flet, trying to keep as silent as I could.

Emerging through the opening in the talan floor, I found Elenna exactly where I thought she would be. She was leaning against the strong trunk of the mighty Mallorn, eyes closed, basking in the golden warmth of the sunshine. I pulled myself up on the flet and soundlessly sat myself down beside her.

"I thought you had gotten lost Haldir." She said to me, eyes still closed, her face uplifted to the sun.

"So you knew." I said to her.

"Of course." She said. "Sùlimelos never did like your company."

"You mean the little white bird?" I said. She nodded. The green of her dress shone even more brilliantly in the sun.

"You look lovely Ranaew." I said to her.

At this she opened her eyes and looked over at me.

"You remind me of a birch tree in the spring." I said. She smiled rather wistfully, and turned to look out over the forest.

The sunlight on her skin made it appear almost luminous, giving a glow even in the strong daylight. I placed a hand on her cheek and turned her to face me. Her shining eyes looked up at my face. I pulled her towards me and claimed her mouth with a kiss, pressing her hard against the trunk of the mallorn tree. At first she seemed surprised but then her willing hands tangled itself in my hair and she opened her mouth to me. I let my hands roam her back, following the curve of her body, tugging insistently on her dress. I pulled one sleeve down her shoulder and then assaulted her milky throat with my mouth. She gave a little whimper of pleasure.

After that she gave no resistance as I rid her body of its clothing, sliding the green dress from her in one smooth movement. I still had to help her fumbling hands as she tried to relieve me of my cloak and my tunic, but we managed easily. By then, I had trapped her against the wooden floor of the talan. She writhed under me as I once again renewed my assault on her throat, moving lower down to capture her rosy tipped breast in my mouth. She arched her back off the floor of the talan. I quickly rid myself of my last piece of clothing, nudging apart her knees, making love to her under the golden light of the brilliant sun, with the forest of Lothlorien spreading out beneath us in every direction as far as you could see, I made love to my wife.

* * *

(Elenna) 

He turned my face to him, looking at me with a strange look that I had seen once before. I knew that look. Before I could say anything, he had captured my mouth in a demanding kiss and I found myself pressing into the trunk of the mallorn. His hands became more and more insistent, pulling at my dress, and I knew what he wanted. I gave in willingly. He was wreaking such havoc on my body, inflaming it to his touch, with just his kisses on my throat and lower as his lips travelled down my neck. I was still not used to such sensations, such overwhelming sensations, as he worshipped every single part of my body. I was still so new to this.

He whispered loving words into my ear, caressing me, holding me to him as he sensed my hesitancy. Soon, I knew nothing else but his kisses and his body moving within me. He seemed to know every place in body that was most sensitive to his touch, he made me burn for him.

At last, we lay together on the talan floor. He pulled his cloak over us and rained soft kisses on my head.

"Did I hurt you, Ranaew?" he asked softly. I shook my head.

"There was no pain this time." I said to him. He kissed my forehead.

"Nor will there be again." He replied. "It will not come again."

I laid my head on his shoulder as we leant up against the cool bark of the mallorn.

"How old are you, Elenna?" he asked. His silvery-golden hair tickled my nose.

"A thousand and some fifty years of the sun." I replied after a thought.

"You are a young little bird." He said. I smiled at his words.

"I suppose you are not so young then." I said. He laughed quietly. "No Ranaew, not quite so young." He said. "I was born at the beginning of this age of Middle Earth. But I am not quite as old as Lord Celeborn yet."

I laughed. "I should hope not. Why Lord Celeborn has walked the forests of Doriath in Beleriand!" I exclaimed. He laughed too.

"But I would love you all the same even if I was, Elenna, I will always love you." He whispered into my hair. I smiled and buried my nose in the crook of his neck.

"I will never stop loving you…"

Later, we wandered the gardens of Lothlorien, its flowers blossoming in the warm spring air, filling it with its pungent perfume. There were flowers of every color imaginable, blooming beautifully under the silver mellyrn, but I delighted in the simple beauty of a small white tree with delicate white and pale green flowers that adorned its slender branches.

"I would not have guessed you to be anything else but a wood elf if I was not told otherwise, Elenna." He said to me as I examined the pallid flowers.

"But I am a wood elf." I replied, picking one off the small tree.

"You are of the Noldor, the people of the Lady, your mother and your father." He said, taking the flower from me and placing it in my hair.

"We are who we choose to be Haldir, a race does not define the person." I told him.

"You sound like the Lady Galadriel." He said laughingly. I smiled at him. "The Lady is my grandmother." He chuckled.

"Long ago, in the youth of the world, did the not the Noldor also dwell in the woods of Middle Earth?" I said to him. "I have never seen Valinor, Haldir, I am just the same as you."

"You speak truly, Elenna." He replied, nodding. "You are wise beyond your years."

"It is not wisdom I speak of, Haldir." I said, "It is merely the truth, nothing more."

"There are many that are blinded from that simple truth you speak of Elenna." He said to me. "To see it _is_ to possess wisdom." I did not answer him.

Silence fell upon us as we wandered about the lush garden, stopping occasionally to admire its magnificence. After a while, Haldir spoke again.

"Where do your kin dwell now? Where live your mother and father?" he asked. I stopped in my path. There was silence, other than the rustling of the leaves and the call of the birds in the trees.

"On the ever green plains of Eldamar, under the shadow of the Hall of Waiting." I whispered, more to myself than to him. He remained silent for a moment.

"I am sorry, Elenna, I should not have asked." He said apologetically. I shook my head. "It was a just question." I told him. "and it deserved an answer." He put a comforting hand on my shoulder. I sat down on the soft carpet of grass, gathering my green skirts to me, he followed my lead.

"I am not grieved." I said to him, "I will see them again. I can hardly remember them anyhow."

"How did they…" he voiced and then decided not to continue.

"They were hunted down by the enemy." I said to him. He looked at me with pity in his eyes. "They were returning to Lorien with me. I was lost to the wild then; the enemy did not catch me."

We fell silent again, letting the forest surround us, the mighty mellyrn towering high into the sky. He put his arms around me, holding me in his embrace.

"You are the only one I have now." I whispered to him. "You are my family."

"You have the Lord and Lady." He said to me. "And in Imladris dwell your mother's sister and your cousins. They are family to you."

I shook my head. "I have not seen them for a thousand years." I said, "They are hardly family to me. And the Lord and Lady, well they are a bit…frightening."

He laughed.

"Well I suppose they are a bit frightening." He said smiling. "but they are your family nonetheless. They care for you."

I nodded.

"We must return back to the borders in two days, Elenna." He said to me after a while. I smiled at him brightly. He laughed at the look on my face.

"You are most amusing, Ranaew." He said, but I only laughed at him.

"All the other guards will be jealous of me." He whispered into my ear. "For while the rest of them leave their wives in the city, I will have mine with me always."

I smiled. "I will not be parted from you Haldir." I said softly. "I can not be parted from you."

"I will let no one take my little bird from me." He said smiling to me.

"Not ever."

* * *

**two words: read, Review. Ok? Anyone who still wants the pencil sketch can contact me anytime. Just so you know it was specifically drawn for this chapter.**

**Au-revoir ! till later.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

xxxxxxxxxxxx-passage of time

_italics -_ thoughts or memories

* * *

(Elenna) 

"My Lady you asked to see me?" I said, rising from a curtsey.

I was in the grand talan of the Lord and Lady. It has been twenty years of the sun since the fateful night that the Lady revealed to me my true identity, yet sometimes, it was still hard to think of them as grandmother and grandsire.

"Yes child." smiled the Lady. "come, sit." She gestured to the chairs behind her. I sat down in one and she in the other.

"Where is Haldir?" she asked.

"He is outside, milady, waiting for me." I replied. I had the distinctive feeling that she already knew that.

"Go and bring him in," she said. "I would talk to him as well." I nodded and rose to leave the talan.

I appeared in the wide doorway, Haldir was standing on the platform before the grand stairway that led into the talan.

"Haldir." I called. He looked up.

"Are you finished so fast?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"No." I replied, "The Lady asks to see you as well."

He nodded, and followed me as I turned and disappeared back into the talan.

We appeared back into the large chamber to see the Lady standing once again, waiting for us.

"Please, sit." She said, graciously gesturing to the chairs with an elegant hand. We sat and the Lady did also. We looked curiously at the Lady when she did not begin to speak, but sat patiently until at last she spoke.

"How goes the guard at the borders, Haldir?" she asked, turning to him.

"The fences are quiet, milady." He replied. "There has not been an orc near in months."

She nodded at this. She remained quiet for another moment. Then she said "I have sent an envoy to Elrond in Imladris. I am sending you to live there for a time, Elenna." We both looked at her in surprise at this.

"To… Imladris, milady?" I asked. She nodded. "To Imladris."

"I am sending Haldir with you." She continued. "You will not be parted from him."

"My lady, I will be needed here." Haldir protested, though reluctant of the idea of my separation from him. The Lady smiled at him.

"Your brothers will be in charge while you are away, you need not fear of it." She said reassuringly. Haldir did not seem convinced.

"They will manage fine, Haldir." The Lady said, sensing his doubts. "Have faith in them." Haldir nodded reluctantly.

"How long will we be gone for?" I asked.

"I will send for you when the time comes." She replied. Haldir seemed horrified at the prospect of leaving Rumil and Orophin in charge of the guard of Lothlorien for an indefinite period of time. "You will leave for Imladris in a fortnight." She finished. We bowed to the Lady. "As you wish, milady." I said.

"I wish to speak to Elenna alone, Haldir." She said to my husband. "I will not keep her for long." Haldir bowed again to the Lady and left the talan.

When Haldir had disappeared through the doorway, the Lady turned to me again.

"Celebrían wishes to see you." She said to me. "Lady Celebrían?" I asked in surprise. "Yes child." She answered. "She was very fond of you when you were young."

"I had thought of all people, she would not want to see me." I said softly, looking away. "because……"

"Because you will remind her of your mother?" she finished for me. I nodded hesitantly. The Lady smiled kindly at me.

"Dear Elenna, do not let such thoughts into your mind." She said, turning me back to face her with a gentle hand. "My daughter loved her sister above all people that walk this earth, how could she not love her daughter?"

I did not answer. In my heart I had doubts that the Lady Celebrían would truly want to send for me. I would only bring her the grief of the memory. I would be living reminder to her of my mother, the sister she had loved so much and mourned so bitterly. Truly how could anyone want that?

All these long years I spent in Lothlorien, I have often wondered of Imladris and my kin that dwell there; the land of my birth and my cousin whom I played with as a child. But in truth I was a bit reluctant to go there. I had almost no memory of that place, I had not stepped foot in there in nigh a thousand years. Who would still remember me? Who would welcome me? I know not of the place or its people.

I sighed.

"Milady, I would but stay here in this wood." I said finally. "It is my home."

"Imladris was your home also." She said. Then seeing my continued reluctance she said warmly. "We are all your family, child. We will always welcome you. You must trust me, and you must trust in your mother's sister."

I pondered this for awhile, but the Lady's words had filled me with such love and faith, that finally I was convinced.

"I will go to Imladris," I said, "If it is your wish, milady." At this she smiled at me and I could not help but return it.

"Be joyful and glad, dear Elenna." She said. "I have only ever wished that for you, ever since you came to me."

"I am……grandmother." I said sincerely. "I am happy for all that has befallen me here in this beautiful wood. I am happy that I have found you. This, in my mind, is a place most precious to me, for here I have found happiness."

"Then I am glad." She said. Her smiled reflected in her azure eyes. She leaned close and dropped a light kiss on my forehead.

"Go now, lest you keep Haldir waiting." She said. I bowed to her and left the grand chamber.

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I walked beside Haldir in silence as we traipsed our way back down and out of the city. He did not question me to my conversation with the Lady and I said nothing. We simply walked on without a word, in a silent mutual agreement not to talk about it. We passed unseen through the city by the secret paths that only we know of. Haldir knew of my morbid aversion of people.

Since that night of the feast, I had not shown myself again, for now, even more than before, I was made known to the people of Caras Galadhon, and I wanted the attention not at all. The few that saw me mostly were the Lord and Lady, the guards of my company, and occasionally Nimloth, but she I had not seen in many a month now.I was not often in the city long. Much of my time was spent in the Northern Fences of Lothlorien, and at others, I lived with Haldir in our talan far out in its outskirts.

It was my mother's talan.

Yes, I have found it, there far out in the outskirts of the forest. My mother's talan, where she had lived the years she spent in Lothlorien, in the peace of the Golden Wood. It was built between the bowers of two towering mellyrn, encased in its lush silver-green leaves, situated in a little hollow of the wood with a quiet stream running by underneath it. It was so peaceful and serene.

I had fallen in love with it at once. After I had consulted with the Lady, we had gone to live there in the border of the woods. It was much closer to the Fences anyhow, and Haldir liked that he could keep an eye on the workings of the guard even while he was off duty. Our disappearance from the city of Caras Galadhon however, according to Rumil, had given rise to the speculation that Haldir, so diligent was he in his office, has set up permanent post at the Fences of Lothlorien. This, of course, was ridiculous and we had many a good laugh about it.

Haldir did take his duty very seriously, but he had a good measure for himself and never stayed too long. There were times when we did guard duty separately and one would be at the borders while the other was resting, but since the talan was so close to the borders, it mattered not.

Days when it was my time of rest, I visited the borders at night and brought all the company some better food other than their usual rations, of which they were very thankful for. It was a time of peace in Lothlorien and there was no real threat to its security, the guards often grew idle and bored. Still, they guarded the Fences most diligently, as Haldir put it, to prevent anyone as the likes of me slip in again. He had not completely forgotten about that yet.

As the guards had their meal, we would sit off to the side and talk for awhile, or just sit in silence in each other's company. He would hold me and I would lay my head against him and listen to the beating of his heart.

I could not think of how I could have lived without him before, for I can not live without him now. There were still times when my longing for the woods came upon me and I would leave him for days on my own under the starry sky, but there always came a time when the stars could gave me no more comfort and I would return to him. He understood and did not stop me, but always welcomed me back with kind words and a joke or two about my flightiness, which he found oddly amusing.

"Still ever the stray little bird you are Ranaew." He would say laughing. I would only smile and murmur my thoughts of him into his ear and he would laugh again at my audaciousness.

They were days of joy and peace, ones I would never forget, even if the darkness did ever come over this earth and all the world was covered in shadow. They would forever remain untainted in my memory, until the day came that I should take ship into the utmost West and pass away from the circles of Eä forever. Like a dream, the years passed by me like the wind upon the water, peaceful and quiet. No evil came to the woods of Lothlorien.

But now I was leaving it, the home that I delighted in, leaving to go to Imladris and to my mother's sister. I know not when I shall return, nor even when I shall see it again. I fixed every tree and flower into my memory, the forest of my home.

"Elenna."

I jolted out of my thoughts. We had returned to our talan and were standing under the tree of its lodging. Haldir was lightly nudging my arm. I gathered up all the wanderings of my mind and we went in.

* * *

(Haldir) 

We rode on towards Imladris, silent on our journey. Our last two weeks in Lothlorien had passed us by quickly, as time always does when you await something that you did not want to come to pass. So at last we bid farewell to the Golden Wood (not after I had given strict instructions to my brothers again, just so they will not forget) and set off on our journey west across the mountains. So it is that we ride on now, some three days journey away from Lothlorien, silently riding.

Not a single word has passed Elenna's lips since that day we returned from our visit to the Lady's talan. I was growing ever more concerned for her. It was not unusual for Elenna to go days without speaking, but it has been two weeks since she had spoken, and not even at her worst spells of silences had she gone without speaking for two and some odd weeks. I could not sense her thoughts at all, for it was like a great silence had come upon her being, like a great icy shroud that encompassed her. No sliver of warmth passed through it. It was frightening.

When I had tried to talk to her she would only nod or shake her head, any question that required a longer answer she would not say anything to, she wrapped herself in the folds of her grey cloak and kept her silence. So at last I gave up all futile attempts and we continued on in silence.

We passed north east of the Hithaeglir, on the west banks of the Anduin, through the Dimrill Dale and past the Sîr Ninglor, ever keeping the looming precipices of the snowy mountains to our left. We took the High Pass through the mountains and descended down west of the mountains, following the Bruinen to the hidden dale of the Last Homely House east of the sea.

After rounding one more bend in the perpetual cliffs, we found ourselves looking down into the lush green valley of Imladris. White falls spilled down the sides of the cliffs, raising mists in which the late afternoon sunshine shone through in many colored rainbows. It was lovely.

"It is even more beautiful than I remember." came a soft voice beside me.

I looked to where Elenna rode beside me on her grey mare. She had spoken at last, after more than three weeks of her unnatural silence.

"You speak Elenna." I said, rather unbelievingly. I had gotten used to the silence so much that I could hardly believe my ears, and thought maybe it a figment of my imagination. She nodded slightly.

"You have worried me so Elenna!" I exclaimed. "It is most unnatural even for you to stay silent for so long."

"It was most unnatural for me to be so talkative." She said, "I have spent years in the wild not talking a single word at all. Three weeks is hardly a long time."

"Well, I suppose if you put it that way…" I said. I had not thought about that.

"I'm sorry I worried you Haldir." She said, this time a bit more gently. "I was not in the mood for talking at all these few weeks, I had much to think upon."

"I understand Elenna." I replied. She gave me a small smile within the heavy folds of her cloak, hiding her so that I could hardly see her face. Nonetheless I nodded my head.

We followed the path down into the valley. Twilight was falling as we left the high cliffs for the shelter of the warm valley. Green trees, beeches and oaks, rose around us. Tall waving grass grew on the embankments of a small stream trickling past the road, where fireflies flitted here and there. A sort of sleepy sensation fell upon us, as the sun set behind the looming cliffs of the valley, now looking so distant above us. Lights shone in the windows of the high house on the hill. Then, we heard voices singing in a small dell in the trees just before us. The sound drifted towards us on the lazy breeze.

_O! What are you doing?_

_And where are you going?_

_Your horses need shoeing!_

_The river is flowing!_

_O! tra-la-la-lally_

_here down in the valley!_

I had a distinctive feeling I knew those voices.

_  
O! What are you seeking_

_And where are you making?_

_The faggots are reeking,_

_The bannocks are baking!_

_O! tril-li-li-lolly_

_the valley is jolly,_

_ha! ha!_

I was certain now that there were two voices that sounded very much alike. I had very bad feeling about this.

_  
O! Will you be staying,_

_Or will you be flying?_

_Your horses are straying!_

_The daylight is dying!_

_To fly would be folly,_

_To stay would be jolly_

_And listen and hark_

_Till the end of the dark_

_to our tune_

_ha! ha!_

What an absolutely ridiculous song, I thought. Hilarious laughter broke out from the trees just in front of us, as if they had heard my thought.

"You might as well come out." I said rather crossly to trees. It had been tiring coming across the mountains, even for me, and I was in no mood for merrymaking. Laughter came again, there was more rustling of leaves and branches. Then out of the trees dropped two identical dark heads, sporting identical grins on their cheery faces.

"Well now, if it isn't Haldir of Lorien." Said the dark head on my left. "What brings the great Warden of Lorien to our humble valley?"

"I suspect its important business." The dark head on my right said in a rather loud whisper to its twin. "Too important for the likes of us to know anyways."

"After all, we are insufferable, horrid, creepy, nosy, good-for-nothing miscreants, are we not Haldir?" the other twin said, cracking a wide smile while reciting back to me the very words I had once said to them the time they had spirited away all my clothing whilst I was washing in the river. I scowled at them. Elenna, however, let out a mirthful shriek of laughter. The twins turned to her at once.

"Ah! And what's this? A mysterious stranger on a horse! Cloaked! Laughing like a girl! Why what new mischief is this Haldir?" they exclaimed, "You must tell us."

"But then," said the twin on the left, gravely. "I suppose that is important business too, is it not Haldir?" Elenna was still chuckling and I suspect she was grinning under her cloak.

"You are quite right." I said stiffly to them. "Now get along you two. I will speak to you at the house tonight." With another burst of laughter they disappeared into the woods again, singing another ridiculous song they went. The voices faded away in the distance. Elenna was still chuckling quietly to herself under her cloak.

"I don't see what is so funny." I said dryly, as we continued along the path to the lighted house growing ever the more nearer.

"Why, it is the expression on your face!" she said, bursting into laughter once again, "That is why they liked taunting you anyways, it would be worth it just to see that hilarious expression on your face!"

Her laughter rang out like tinkling wind chimes among the trees. Her merry laughter soon infected me too, for no one could stay long angry in the homely valley of Imladris. I found that I had begun chuckling softly too and a smiled stayed on my face all the way to the house on the hill.

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We arrived into the courtyard of the house of Elrond, the hooves of our weary horses clattering on the cobbled pavement. On the stone steps leading up into the house stood the Lord himself, and the Lady Celebrían beside him, in a mantle of starry blue, while the lights of the house behind them twinkled invitingly. It would appear they had known about our arrival by the word of those two twin terrors we had the ill fortune of meeting down in the valley. Lord Elrond held out his arms in welcome.

"Well met, Haldir of Lorien." He said, "You bring a most welcome guest."

We both bowed low to the Lord and Lady of Imladris, Elenna being still hidden in her grey cloak.

"Do come in," said the Lady Celebrían, "Here, there is food and drink for weary travellers."

I thanked them and we followed them into the brightly lit house.

We were led past wide, airy halls lit by orange lanterns, the view of the valley in twilight stretched out below us. At last we came into a room with a roaring hearth and a small table that was laid out with delectable food.

"We shall have many a talk later," said the Lord Elrond, "but for now, eat, drink. You are wearied from your travels."

We nodded our thanks to them. The Lady Celebrían smiled warmly at us. Then they left to room, leaving us to our supper.

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The food had been delicious, worthy of the finest feast, and the wine was the rich cordial of Imladris. When we had ate and drunk our fill, I sank down into one of the soft chairs in the room. Elenna, who had finally shed her grey cloak, settled herself by the merrily crackling fire with her arms wrapped around her knees, staring into its bright flames, seemingly lost in thought again.

"What are you thinking about, Ranaew?" I asked lazily from my chair. She raised her head to look at me, her silver eyes shining in the firelight.

"Memories." She said. "This house brings back many things from my past."

I rose from my chair, taking myself to where she sat by the hearth and sat down beside her.

"And are those good memories?" I asked. She smiled.

"Wonderful ones." She whispered, leaning her head against my shoulder.

"Then that is good." I said softly in her ear, my breath rustling her dark hair slightly. I held her close to me, and we sat together there by the warmth of the fire.

Thus we remained, until finally, the Lord and Lady of the house came again. We did not hear them come in, we were so weary and tired from our journey, and I suspect the fine cordial we had was also in the working. We had almost fallen asleep there in front of the fire, with Elenna in my arms, but we awoke (if that can be said since we were not sleeping) to the sound of their voices.

"Well, this is a sight the Lady Galadriel had not warned us of."

It was Lord Elrond's voice that had jerked us out of our reverie. We rose immediately and bowed to them. How long they were in the room before Lord Elrond spoke, we did not know, but now they stood before us smiling kindly.

"Let me have a look at you, child." The Lady Celebrían said to Elenna. Elenna timidly moved forward and Lady Celebrían took her face in her gentle hands. After a moment or two she dropped her hands.

"Naneth was right, you do look so much like her." She said finally. Lord Elrond nodded his head in agreement.

"You are welcome to our house, Elenna, daughter of Aranwë." He said, "Your father was a good friend of mine." He smiled warmly to her. Elenna dropped a small curtsey.

"You are very much welcome to us, sister-daughter." The Lady Celebrían added.

Then, the Lord and Lady turned to me.

"We thank you for bring our niece safely to us, Haldir." Lord Elrond said, "She is most dear to us." I bowed.

"She is to me too." I said rather quietly at this, but they heard me nonetheless.

"Is that so, my friend?" Lord Elrond said, quirking an eyebrow. He exchanged glances with the Lady. "That is most interesting."

Somehow, I felt slightly uncomfortable at this and drew my gaze elsewhere. It was then Elenna spoke in her soft voice.

"Haldir is my lord and husband." she said quietly, "Did grandmother not tell you?"

I looked up at this. Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrían looked rather taken aback. I guess that that was not the case. Ah, the Lady does seem to like her little jokes. I found that Elenna had moved back to my side.

"I am sorry, my friend, we were too quick to speak." Lord Elrond said to me, but I shook my head.

"It should be me who should apologize, milord." I said, "If I had known Elenna then to be who she was, I would have asked for her hand in marriage as is fitting for her people. But as it was, I had wedded her in the way of the Silvan. I hope you will not think too badly of me, milord, milady."

But the Lord and Lady smiled.

"There is no need for your apology, Haldir." Lady Celebrían said. "It is we who should be glad for you and for dear Elenna. It would be our honour to name you as our kinsman."

Suddenly, two dark figures hurled into the room, accidentally crashing into the small table where sat the remains of our supper.

"Ouch!" said one of them. "Why did you push me?"

"Did not!" the other retorted. "You were the one who did the pushing!" They were then silenced by Lord Elrond clearing his throat.

"I take it you have been listening outside the door then, Elladan, Elrohir?" he said with another quirk of his eyebrow. The twins were suddenly looking very docile.

"We meet again." Elenna said to them smiling. The twins brightened up.

"And who is this lovely vision?" the one on the left (which I presume was Elrohir) said.

"Elenna, May I introduce you to these two abominable creatures who are our sons." Lord Elrond said rather wryly. "Elladan, the elder, on your right, and Elrohir on your left."

She curtsied to them and they bowed back.

"Elladan, Elrohir, this is your cousin Elenna." He said to the twins. "She has just arrived from Lothlorien. Mind that you do not terrorize her too much."

"Don't worry adar." They said, looking at me with gleaming eyes. "We shan't." But Lord Elrond was quick to catch that.

"You will not disturb Haldir either." He said sternly. The twins looked crestfallen.

"Well, we shall leave you four here to get acquainted." The Lord and Lady said, turning to leave. "We will send our daughter along presently. We bid you goodnight, Elenna, Haldir."

We bowed once again to them and they left the room.

"So we are cousins then?" said, Elrohir (presuming – he was the talkative one.) "That is wonderful!" He was roughly kicked then by Elladan.

"Fool! Do you not remember little Elenna?" he exclaimed. "Many a jolly chase she and our dear sister had led adar on when they were both little wee elflings."

"Oh yes…I remember." Elrohir said. Elenna chuckled.

"You two are worse than my brothers." I said sardonically. They both smiled wickedly.

"Why we consider that a high compliment, Haldir," Elrohir said. "We all know of the wily tact of the famous brothers of the March Warden of Lothlorien, seeing that they had to grow up with one such as him."

I scoffed, but then laughed. "It is good to see you again, dear friends." I said, clapping them both on the back in turn.

"You too, Haldir." They said to me, smiling.

"Now, what all this we heard adar and naneth speaking about when Elladan pushed me so ungracefully into the room?" Elrohir said.

"Hey!" protested Elladan. "Speak for yourself!"

"I thought you too were good at eavesdropping." I said.

"We are." They said in unison. "Well, we did hear a good lot of naneth calling you kinsman, and weddings and such. But we didn't really understand it." Elladan said. "you see, we only just got back, being away out by the river again, so we only heard the last part of it."

"And not much of that either, because Elladan was pushing me." Elrohir put in.

"I was not!"

"Was too!"

"So what was all that about, Haldir?" Elladan asked, ignoring a very annoyed Elrohir.

"Well," I said hesitantly, "we were just talking about Elenna's…marriage…to me." Two pairs of eyebrows shot up.

"What?" Elrohir said faintly, "You must be kidding me Haldir. It is not like you……"

"I don't think he's joking, brother." Elladan said, nudging his twin.

"Well, I suppose so." Elrohir replied darkly, "Haldir was never one to joke." Then he suddenly turned to Elenna.

"Whatever possessed you to _marry_ him cousin?" he said exasperatedly. "And we were just starting to like you." Elenna chuckled again.

"Whatever did you see in him?" he continued, this time unbelievingly. Elenna let out a laugh.

"Well I didn't expect _you_ to see anything in him," she said smiling, "You're an ellon after all." Elrohir opened his mouth in surprise at this, but could not say anything.

Elladan laughed. "You're beat brother." He said, "She's got a point you know."

"Right you are." He said weakly. Then, turning to Elenna, he said. "I think we shall really like you, dear cousin. You have spirit." Elenna only smiled.

"But did you have to marry him?" he blurted out, "Now we're _related_ to _him_ too!" He threw up his hands in exasperation. Elenna laughed.

"Haldir may not yet have to be our kinsmen, brother." Elladan said to his twin, his eyes again flashing with a wicked idea. "For is it not said that those who steal the daughters of the Noldor and wed them without gift or leave do not gain kinship with their kin? We have hope yet Elrohir."

Elrohir brightened immensely. "Yes… it is so…" he said thoughtfully. Then as one they both turned to me.

"We conclude that we are _not_ related to you after all, Haldir." They said in unison.

"Thank goodness." I muttered. Elenna was looking highly amused.

"The Lady may not agree with you, cousins." She said, smiling. The twins looked at her.

"Why ever not, sweet little sister?" they said indignantly. "For has not this – elf – not wed you without gift or leave from our naneth your mother's sister or even the Lord and Lady themselves? He is no different than that dark elf who took Aredhel Ar-Feiniel to wife." They both folded their arms across their chest and grinned evilly at me.

The twins were taking this joke a little too far. For the second time today I began to feel uncomfortable, but it was Elenna who answered them.

"Peace, cousins." She said softly, "Haldir is not such a person, that you should compare him to Eöl of Nan Elmoth."

"But do we not speak truly?" Elladan answered, "Has he not taken you to wife without gift or leave?"

Elenna was not smiling now. Indeed she looked rather pale and her mouth clenched. She glanced at the twins with a look that made even them cower. I do not know how to describe it but it was like a cold heat was coming from her, though her face was serene and calm as it always was.

"Speak not of what you do not know." She said in a voice so quiet that it was barely audible, but we heard her clear enough.

Elladan and Elrohir swallowed. There was a cold silence.

"I'm sorry, Elenna." Said Elladan finally, "we overstepped ourselves. We only meant it as a joke."

Elrohir nodded in agreement, though even he seemed a bit frightened by the display Elenna had just but put on.

"It is I who must apologize, Elladan, Elrohir." I said, "You do speak truly. But I meant no dishonor to Lady Elenna."

The twins relaxed and the awkward tension dissipated.

"We were teasing Haldir." They said smiling. "We are most pleased to call you kinsman, indeed that means that Orophin and Rumil are kin too! That is wonderful!"

"Now we shall have even more cause to band against you." Elrohir said, Elladan nodded his head fervently

"Valar help me. I shall never sleep again." I said darkly. The twins laughed and Elenna smiled again, in her serene way.

"I'm sorry, Haldir." Elladan said, when he recovered himself. "We did take our joke a little too far, we were wrong to say that."

"It is nothing." I said, nodding at him.

"Forgive us Elenna." Elrohir said again to her. Elenna nodded and smiled.

At this time, the Lady Arwen chose to make her entrance.

"Terrorizing the guests, brothers?" she said smiling, stepping into the room towards us. She was dressed in a rich burgundy dress, a circlet of silver upon her brow.

"Hardly, sister." They answered. "Our dear cousin is more than enough a match for us." This turned her gaze to Elenna.

"Elenna." She whispered. "Is that really you?" She moved towards Elenna and gathered her hands in her own, looking expectantly into her face.

Elenna nodded shyly. "Lady Arwen." she said quietly, dropping a small curtsey but was stopped by Lady Arwen.

"Oh little sister, do you not remember me?" she said, searching her eyes. Elenna looked warily back at her. Lady Arwen smiled and to my surprise, Elenna smiled back.

"Dearest Lena," She said passionately, "how I missed you!" She embraced Elenna, then moved back again. They stood smiling widely at each other.

"I think we should leave them to their little reunion." I said quietly on the side to Elladan and Elrohir. They nodded silently and we slipped from the room.

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"How goes things these days?" I asked Elladan and Elrohir, as we strolled down the open hallways, the valley below us lit by silver moonlight.

"All is well." Elladan replied, "The orcs are quiet, there is peace."

"As is with Lothlorien." I said nodding. "The orcs seem to have retreated back into the mountains and have not moved out again."

"Who keeps the borders now?" Elrohir asked curiously, "with you here in Imladris."

"My brothers." I replied. They nodded.

"I do not think the orcs will stay quiet for long." Elladan said. "This silence is most unnatural." Elrohir and I agreed.

"There is some evil stirring yet in Dol Goldur, though it dares not move out against us." I said. "This peace will not last for much longer."

Elladan and Elrohir nodded. "We will keep watch." Elrohir replied. "but we must move in secrecy, and draw not attention to our preparations."

I nodded.

"We wait."

_

* * *

Notes: _

_Aredhel Ar-Feiniel was called the White Lady of the Noldor or the White Lady of Gondolin. She is always attired in either silver or white. She is cousin to Galadriel, her father was Fingolfin, elder brother to Finarfin, father of Galadriel. _

_Eöl of Nan Elmoth was of the Moriquendi (Dark Elves) who lived in Beleriand in the Elder Days. He was a great smith that lived in the forest of Nan Elmoth east of the forest of Doriath, realm of Thingol and Melian. He was rather a dark character and disliked the Noldor for coming out of the West and taking over the land. __When Aredhel left Gondolin to seek the sons of Fëanor (her cousins), she was separated from her escort and was lost in the Nan Elmoth.__Eöl, seeing her, desired her and set enchantments in the woods around her, drawing her to him. She stayed with him and bore him a son._

_The words quoted by Elladan ("those who steal the daughters of the Noldor……") was said by Curufin, fifth son of Fëanor, to Eöl, when Eöl met him and his brother Celegorm while pursuing Aredhel and his son who were fleeing from him to Gondolin.  
__  
The full text, p.157 of the Silmarillion (Chapter 16: of Maeglin)  
__(And Eöl answered: 'Then, lord, perhaps you will give me leave to go, and discover the truth of this matter.'  
_'_You have my leave, but not my love,' said Curufin. 'The sooner you depart from my land the better it will please me.'  
__Then Eöl mounted his horse, saying: 'It is good, Lord Curufin, to find a kinsman thus kindly at need. I will remember it when I return.'  
T__hen Curufin looked darkly upon Eöl. 'Do not flaunt the title of your wife before me,' he said. 'For those who steal the daughters of the Noldor and wed them without gift or leave do not gain kinship with their kin. I have given you leave to go. Take it, and be gone. By the laws of the Eldar I may not slay you this time. And this counsel I add: return now to your dwelling in the darkness of Nan Elmoth, for my heart warns me that if you now pursue those who love you no more, never will you return hither.' __Then Eöl rode off in haste, and he was filled with hatred of all the Noldor, for he perceived now that Maeglin and Aredhel were fleeing to Gondolin.)_

* * *

**And we come to Rivendell (or Imladris in those days)! The song that Elladan and Elrohir sings is originaly from the Hobbit. It was such a silly song and I could so totally imagine the twins singing that. So there it is. I hope you liked it ... so review:)**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Warnings: Some disturbing scenes, description of a massacre

Authors note: OMG IT'S ALIVE! Yes that's right I am back. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

(Elenna) 

"And Oh! Do you remember the time when I refused to get fitted for a new dress and ran out of the room dragging you with me? Ooo adar got so mad. I can still see him running after us, robes askew, all the way across the fields!" Arwen laughed, reminiscing fondly of our childhood days. I laughed with her, memories of so long ago flooding back into my mind.

"Oh Ellie, how I have missed you." Arwen said wistfully, after our laughter died down. "You cannot imagine how I felt the day the search party returned after months in the wilds, carrying back few bodies of those who were lucky enough to be left intact after death. The horror on naneth's face and adar's fearful silence. It was terrible."

I said nothing, but could only look sadly down at my hands folded neatly in my lap. That was one memory I still did not have, yet after all the things I've heard from the Lady and now Lady Arwen, I do not ever want to recall such an event.

Arwen noted my silence and took my hands in hers, causing me to look up at her once again.

"I'm sorry Elenna, I did not mean to bring up painful memories for you as well." She said sincerely, looking searchingly at me. "This is supposed to be a happy night."

At her kind words, I smiled again, looking lovingly at this long-lost sister that I had gained in her tonight. "It is of no matter. I have no memories of that day long ago, and I do not wish to ever remember it, but it is good to know of it at last. And if such a forgotten event brings pain to me, than I can all the more imagine how you would have felt. You will always find a ready listener in me, milady." I replied.

Arwen beamed at me, and then shook her finger reproachfully at me. "None of this 'milady' business. Arwen will do fine, though I don't really like "Ari" anymore. I hate when Elladan and Elrohir call me that." She made a face, "They make sound as childish as possible. It does not help with adar being overprotective at all."

I smiled, imagining the twins at their mischief again. In the past hour in which we have been talking, Arwen has told me much of the twin's escapades, some which I recall, and others which I have no memory of at all. Arwen smiled back at me.

At that moment, Haldir and the aforementioned twins wandered back into the room once again.

"Still talking?" asked the dark haired twin on the right. Somehow, I knew instantly that it was Elladan. His manner was gentler and his voice was musical and lilting.

"They are ellith, muindor nin." Retorted the dark twin on the left, "That is what they do." Of course, Elrohir had always been the more spirited one of the two. His voice had a brighter timbre to it, and he laughed more easily.

"But is this Elenna we are talking about, Elrohir?" Haldir interjected, "If I remember correctly, she has not spoken a word in nigh on a month till this afternoon."

At Haldir's words, Arwen looked somewhat alarmed and concerned. However, Elrohir broke in again before she had time to speak.

"Elenna is an elleth, Haldir, it is inevitable." He reasoned, in his own Elrohir-ish way. "All elleth chatter."

At his words, both Haldir and Arwen looked outraged. I only chuckled quietly at the looks they gave him simultaneously. Elladan caught my eye as I laughed to myself silently and winked. Arwen looked hugely indignant while Haldir was practically fuming. Just as they both opened their mouths at the same time to chastise Elrohir, Elladan suddenly spoke quietly on the side to me.

"Shall I escort you to your chambers Elenna?" He whispered into my ear as Arwen and Haldir both started put Elrohir firmly in his place. "This may take all night." I glanced at the three of them now locked heatedly in argument and nodded, smiling wearily at Elladan.

"Please Dan, I'm tired, take me to bed."

Suddenly, I felt like I was 20 years old again, and my older brother was leading me sleepily by the hand through the winding halls of the Last Homely House. Finally, Elladan led me through the door into a wide chamber hung with white draperies, occasionally ruffled by the cool late summer breeze. I looked drowsily around the room, eyeing the soft feather bed at the far end of the room. I felt a pair of gentle hands tenderly lifting the worn grey cloak from my tired shoulders and then Elladan was lifting me up and carrying me towards the soft looking bed. I buried nose in his blue tunic, closing my eyes and sighing wearily. He smelled of sandalwood and berries. He had always loved berry picking in the summer with Elrohir, I recalled. Elladan set me down gently onto the bed and tucked the covers in around me. I stretched contentedly and then opened my eyes, turning my head to see him smiling dotingly down at me, seated in a chair by my bedside.

"Sleep little sister." He said softly, "You have traveled far today."

I yawned in replied, burying my nose into the soft downy pillows. I heard muffled chuckling coming from the chair by my bed. I took my head out of the pillows and eyed Elladan sleepily.

"Oh Ellie, you're still so much like that little elleth I used to tuck into bed all those nights when your adar and naneth were away on some important business or the other with my adar and naneth." He smiled, grinning at me in that special way of his that used to make me feel like I was the only one in the entire world that mattered to him.

"Though I doubt you remember me now, it was so many years ago." He continued sadly, "And you were so little then."

"I remember you Elladan." I mumbled, my eyelids were getting too heavy to keep open. "You were my favorite brother. Elrohir always teased me about not running fast enough to keep up with him. You always hung back a little, just to make sure I kept up with you fine."

At this point, I really could not string two more words together properly, and resigned gladly to the welcome arms of sleep. As I drifted off to pleasant dreams of happier days, I heard his gentle voice one last time.

"Oh little sister how I missed you."

* * *

(Elladan) 

I looked affectionately down at the sleeping elleth curled up on the white bed before me. Little Elenna, how much you have grown. I could hardly recognize the lovely and beautiful elleth before my eyes. It is no wonder at all how even an ellon like Haldir would have fallen in love with you. You capture the love of all those who know you.

A little content sigh came from the peaceful figure beside me and I smiled. Making sure the covers were tucked securely around her one last time, I rose to leave.

Making my way once again back to the chamber where I had last left the angry trio, I thought much of bygone days when the four of us – my brother, my sister, Elenna and I – played happily together in the beautiful valley of Imladris. I remembered clearly the day she had come to me tearfully, telling me between anguished sobs that her adar and naneth were taking far away from Imladris, and she didn't know if she was going to return or not. The memory of that day was fresh in my mind, as if it had only happened yesterday.

/flash/

"_Dan I don't wanna go!" _

_Little Elenna had ran sobbing to find me, out in the little creek in the forest where we had always met, the moment she heard from her naneth that they were to be going to Lothlorien in a fortnight._

"_I don't wanna go to Lothlorien. I wanna stay here with you." _

_She buried her tear stained cheek into my tunic, hugging me tightly to her. I patted her comfortingly on the head and gently pried her off me. _

"_Ellie, don't cry. I'm sure you'll be back before you know it." I said, producing a handkerchief from my pocket and kneeling down to wipe the tears off her little face._

"_But you said you would take me berry picking with you and Elrohir this summer! You promised!" she protested, sniffling, "You said I could go with you as soon as I turned thirty and my begetting day is next month!"_

_Sighing, I pulled her to sit on my lap, handkerchief at the ready in case she starts crying again. _

"_I know I promised Ellie, but you must go with your adar and naneth to Lothlorien to see daernaneth and daeradar in Lothlorien." I told her. "And daernaneth will have lots of kinds of tasty berries for you to eat in her garden and daeradar will give you lots of pretty dresses to wear, and you will forget all about missing berry picking with me here in boring old Imladris."_

_Elenna looked up at me with her shining silver eyes on hearing my enticing promises and proceeded to bombard me with questions about Lothlorien._

"_What kind of berries do daernaneth have in her garden? Does she have blueberries? Is her garden very big? Do you think she'll let me to pick some of them on my own? Is daernaneth very nice?" _

"_Easy there, Ellie." I laughed, holding up my hands. "I cannot possibly remember all those questions if you ask me them all at once."_

_So, Elenna remained obediently silent and looked up attentively at me for my answers. I took a deep breath and attempted to satisfy little Elenna's curiousity._

"_Lets see…daernaneth has all sorts of berries imaginable in her garden, yes she does happen to have blueberries (very big ones too if I recall correctly), yes her garden is very big it is larger than all the gardens here in Imladris put together, yes I do imagine she would let you pick some of them on your own and yes daernaneth is best daernaneth you could ever have. Does that answer your question Ellie?"_

"_Yes." She replied. She pondered over the new information for a moment, while I looked amusedly at her little frowning face screwed up in deepest concentration._

"_But Elladan, I still want to stay here with you and Ari." She said after a while of quiet contemplation. "Even if daernaneth has a lot of berries for picking in her garden, it wouldn't be as much fun if you weren't there to pick berries with me."_

_I sighed, taking her little white hands, delicate as a bloom of niphredil into my own. "Elenna, you know I cannot go with you." I said, with not a little regret. I was going to miss her greatly as well. "I must stay here with my adar and naneth. There are many duties I have here to do, or I would have surely accompanied you to Lothlorien."_

_Elenna sniffed again at my words. I smiled down at this melancholy little figure seated primly on my knee and took her small face in my hands. _

"_Do not be sorrowful little Elenna," I said, smiling again at the look of her radiant silver eyes now swimming in tears threatening to burst forth again. "It is a wonderful thing that you are going to Lothlorien. You will love it there; it is the most beautiful place in all of Middle Earth. I wish I could go to Lothlorien myself, but since I cannot, you must go on my behalf, alright?"_

_I handed her the sodden handkerchief and she wiped her eyes again, bravely putting on a smile for me._

"_Alright." She said. I smiled at her again as she handed me back the handkerchief with the air of a martyr. "I suppose I'll do it then. But only for you Dan, not because naneth says I must."_

_I laughed at her words, tucking the handkerchief into my belt. "That's the Ellie I know: always a fighter. I'm starting to think that Elrohir and I are a bad influence on you."_

_She raised her little chin proudly and then laughed when I rolled my eyes at her. I laughed too and took her in my arms, swinging her around me while she squealed with delight. When we both got too dizzy to stay upright, we collapsed on the soft grass near the trickling brook, both looking up at the emerald canopy of the trees spinning high above us. _

"_Elladan." She asked suddenly, when we had both recovered somewhat. "Will I ever see you again?"_

_Her strange question struck an inexplicable chill in my heart, but I pushed it quickly aside and answered her. "Of course you will Elenna! What a question to ask!" I exclaimed, "You will see me again very soon and then you shall have to put up with me everyday. Then you'll wish that you never came home from Lothlorien." _

_I turned my head to smile at her, but Elenna did not smile back. _

_As I led her by the hand back to the Last Homely House at twilight, she did not speak another word again. Nor did she speak anymore save for a few words after that day. The morning that the traveling party assembled to depart in the courtyard, I took little Elenna aside again to bid her farewell. _

"_Well this is it, Ellie. You have a great adventure before you, you know that?" I told her, trying to coax her frowning face into a smile._

_Elenna remained silent and I frowned. _

"_Well Ellie, aren't you going to say good-bye to your favorite brother?" I said a little hurt. Elenna gave me a weak little smile and whispered, "Namárië, Elladan."_

_I was surprised at the sound of her voice, which sounded so much older than a girl of thirty, which by elven standards was barely older than birth. But I pushed that thought away as well, putting all my thought into making her smile again._

"_You must pick lots and lots of berries for me, alright?" I said, "You know how Elrohir always shoves them all in his face before they even hit the basket, so you must save some for me to eat from daernaneth's wonderful garden. Will you do that for me Ellie?"_

_At my words, she really did laugh again and nodded. Much appeased, I smiled contentedly at her. Then taking an intricate mithril necklace from my pockets I placed it around her little neck, smoothing down the little white jewel pendant to hang straight. _

"_This is an early begetting day present for you, Elenna, since I will not be with you when you turn thirty." I told her, while she inspected the pendant closely. "Keep it well and think of me often while you are away, alright?"_

_She nodded, looking happily at the beautiful pendant that I had especially made for her a fortnight ago, when she had told me of her impending departure._

_Standing on the steps of the Last Homely House, I stood waving with the rest of the household as the party rode out the gates of Imladris. Little Elenna riding with her naneth on a grey mare, turned back to wave once last time, smiling at me and me only, until she disappeared around the bend, the jewel on her pendant flashing one last time in the sunlight._

"_Namárië, Elenna." I whispered._

_I never saw her again._

/flash/

The sound of argument woke me from my ponderings as I entered once again into the small chamber where Elrohir, Haldir and Arwen were still locked into debate on what elleth were and were not. I sighed wearily and slammed the door loudly close behind me, making all three of them jump at once.

"That's better." I said, walking towards the three of them, gathered near the fire. "And now I think that everyone should go to bed. Haldir must be weary from his journey and you two should not be keeping him from his rest."

Elrohir and Arwen looked a little shame-faced and quickly took their leave of the marchwarden, bidding him a good-night. As they slipped past me out the doorway to their respective rooms, I approached the marchwarden.

"I have shown Elenna to her chambers in the east wing." I said to him, "I will have someone show you the way momentarily. But for now, I bid you goodnight my friend."

He nodded gratefully, eyeing me while I summoned a maid and gave her instructions to take the saddlebags and show the marchwarden to the east wing chambers.

After the marchwarden had left the room, I was left alone once again to my troubled thoughts, staring pensively into the dying fire. The images of long ago swimming around and around in my mind, until I thought I could no longer bear it. That terrible day over a millienia ago was forever branded into my memory.

/flash/

"_What do you mean they never arrived in Lorien?" I demanded, one fateful night when adar had gathered me, Elrohir and Arwen into his study. Naneth stood to one side, shaking visibly, clutching the corner of the desk so tightly that her knuckles were turning frighteningly white._

"_Perhaps they were delayed by bad weather?" Elrohir ventured cautiously, "Those kinds of things do tend to happen on the road."_

_But adar shook his head hesitantly, lips pressed into a thin line. _

"_Your daeradar has sent out a party to meet them, a few days from Lothlorien, but they never appeared." He said quietly, "They searched long for them, but they never found them. Your daernaneth is sending out a search party."_

_At his words, naneth collapsed with a little gasp into a chair behind her, looking up with despair in her eyes at my adar._

"_Adar, let me go help them." I said, my heart dropping into my stomach at these ill-omened revelations. "Let me help daeradar with the search party. Perhaps I can be of great help if I start out from Imladris and follow the route they would have taken."_

_I looked hopefully at my adar, trying to convince myself that there may still be a sliver of a chance that this was all some great mistake and they had only lost their way because of bad weather or whatnot. At my side, Elrohir nodded fervently. Even though he was not as close to Elenna as I was, he still cared for her a great deal, contrary to what he may say. We also held our aunt and uncle in the highest respects and wished them to be in no harm either._

_Adar sighed, gathering up the thin sheet of parchment that had brought us such unsettling news._

"_That is what I had been planning on doing." He said, rolling that small rectangular sheet up and placing it lightly down into a drawer. "I am sending a search party from Imladris on the morrow, and you and Elrohir may go if you wish."_

_Naneth, however, looked visibly paler if that was possible, seated in the chair beside adar, wringing her hands anxiously. _

"_Elrond, how can you send our own sons out into unknown dangers?" She said, looking quite alarmed, "For all you know they could go missing as well! And we'll not hear sight or sound of them again!"_

_Adar placed a comforting arm around naneth and tried to placate her in his own calm manner._

"_Meleth, our sons are grown ellyn, they are skilled in warfare and woodcraft, they will be able to take care of themselves." He said soothingly, rubbing his hands gently around naneth's shoulders. "They will be of great help in searching for the lost party and bringing them back to safety."_

_Naneth did not look entirely convinced, but adar's soothing words had helped a little to ease her fears. She nodded her consent reluctantly and slumped down into her chair._

"_Please Elrond," she said to adar in a little voice, "find my sister."_

_And then she could take no more and collapsed into tears, sobbing into her hands while adar tried vainly to appease her. Elrohir, Arwen and I slipped quietly out of the room, greatly disturbed by this news that bodes no good for my aunt and her family._

_Morning found a large party from Imladris riding with great haste out from the nestled valley towards Lorien. As we rode urgently onwards, we scanned the road regularly at intervals for any signs of the missing party. We rode south west of the Hithaeglir passing by Eregion, riding on swiftly to Lothlorien. We were nearing the Glanduin when we caught sight of the first traces of the missing party. There must have been rain that day when they passed there because in the dried mud of the road, we found many hoof prints of elven horses, pressed into the earth. There had been no rain since then, for it was a dry summer, so the impressions were nicely preserved in the ground._

_En-heartened by our success, we followed the tracks which led curiously off the road, and our hearts sank because we realized that clearly the party had been forced to flee from something far off the main road. Anyone who traveled in these parts knew that to step off the road was a very risky business indeed. _

_And then suddenly, we rode into a clearing where our eyes met with a horrendous sight. Some of the younger ellon who had not seen much of war were forced to empty the contents of their stomach on the nearby shrubbery, and even some of the seasoned warriors looked like they wanted to be sick. I heard Elrohir beside me gasp in dismay and revulsion. And as for me, no words could ever describe what I felt at the moment, looking on the gruesome scene before me._

_Bodies were scattered everywhere on the ground, if bodies are what you call them. There was barely a body on the ground that was whole; mostly it was just pieces of bodies all over the place. And the blood. The ground beneath us was covered in a lake of dark crimson, and the ground called up to us in anguish, lamenting with all the souls of the slain. The carcasses of several of the horses had large chunks torn off them, like they had been the feast of some fell beast. The banners bearing the emblem of Imladris lay tattered on the ground, trampled crimson underfoot. After we got past the horrifying sight of the carnage, we began to realize that this was not a natural clearing in the forest. Many of the trees had been uprooted, and thrown to one side, crushing many of the surrounding trees. We stared in shock as to wonder at what kind of creature could have possibly wreaked that kind of damage. All of us stood rooted to the ground in utmost horror and alarm._

_It was Elrohir who first recovered from our trance, and he dismounted cautiously, walking out among the scene of what most clearly had been a massacre. Crouching tentatively on the ground, he carefully examined the tracks, while I dismounted also and walked to his side._

"_Wargs from Dol Goldur and many Yrch." He said, after a moment of comptemplation. "And something else, very large. It was that which caused the damage to the trees." He looked up at me with despair in his eyes. "Elladan, none of them could have possibly survived."_

_At my brother's words, I closed my eyes in anguish. He was right, judging by the carnage and blood at the scene, there was no possible chance they could have escaped at all. They had been surrounded and picked off one by one. I choked back a sob and tried to gather my emotions._

_I rose from crouching beside Elrohir, steadying myself on the torn stump of all that remained of a nearby tree. As I touched it, it cried up to me in sorrow. The black shadow has passed by here It said, The black shadow has killed them all. The black shadow has silenced all those who speak. _

_At the words of the tree, I cried in dismay. The origins of the large prints had been accounted for._

"_Nazgûl!" I gasped. "Nazgûl passed by here. A Nazgûl on wings!"_

_There was a collective gasp from the party. Elrohir looked up at me with horror, searching my face with his sorrowful eyes._

"_Are you sure, muindor?" He asked quietly, his voice no more than a whisper. I swallowed and nodded, closing my eyes once again._

"_The forest has spoken of the black shadow." I said. _

_At my words, there was a large uproar in the party, speculating how we had failed to detect the presence of the Nazgûl at Dol Goldur. It was Elrohir again who first regained his head and silenced everyone. _

"_We must gather all those we can to bring home to Imladris." He said, his voice on the verge of breaking, "It is the least we can do."_

_Everyone nodded and bowed our heads, whispering a prayer to all the slain souls of the departed. Then we set ourselves to our gruesome task, each and every one of us stained crimson by the blood on the ground._

_It was near the roots of a tree at the edge of the clearing when I found it._

_The white jewel pendant of mithril lay broken on the ground, stained with dark crimson as was everything else was. I picked up the broken pendant and held it carefully in the palm of my hand, staring despairingly at the last remnants of the little sister I had loved so much. So much. I closed my hand tightly around the necklace and fell to my knees, looking up into the sky, crying out in grief. Then I could hold in my tears no longer and collapsed into a pathetic form on the ground sobbing uncontrollably. After a while, when my tears had somewhat subsided, I felt my brother's hand on my shoulder, comforting me._

"_Elladan, they are gone." He said, not a little tearfully himself. "You cannot bring them back with tears."_

"_Elrohir," I said, rising to look at the blurry figure of my brother through my tears. "I gave her this necklace for her begetting day." I opened my hand to show him the bloodstained necklace. "She turned thirty two weeks ago. By Eru she is only a child!"_

_I broke into fresh tears again. _

"_Why!" I asked the blue skies above us in the clearing. "Why Elenna!" _

_But no one answered._

"_Why Elenna..."_

/flash/

After that day, nothing was the same again. We brought all that we could back to Imladris with us, sending messengers to Lothlorien of our distressing tidings. And then, we broke the news to adar and naneth.

Naneth cried until she had no more tears to cry. Then she collected herself and spoke no more, plunging into a terrible bout of silence, that not even adar could break. When we spoke to her of Aunt Nimbrethil, she would look at us with a freezing look that froze us to the very core of our being.

"Sister?" she would reply in a deadly cold voice. "I have no sister. We shall never speak of this again."

And we did not.

A cloud of gloom descended over Imladris, mourning the deaths of all those lost on that fateful day. But none mourned more bitterly than me. At every turn and every doorway, I fancied I could see the smiling small figure of Elenna, beckoning me over to play with her, laughing in that beautiful way of her own. I thought I was going mad with grief.

Elenna smiling in the fields, Elenna running after me and Elrohir, Elenna standing with her little arms crossed indignantly in front of her when Elrohir teased her about one thing or another.

The jewelled pendant, I kept with me always. Repairing the broken clasp, I wore the pendant near my heart beneath my tunic, carrying the memory of her with me forever. The blood I never did wash away, reluctant to wipe away the last remnants of the little sister whom I had loved with all of my being.

Ever after that, I hid my pain with laughter and jokes, so that none would know the depth of my pain, save my brother who I could never hide anything from.

The painful memories brought tears to my eyes, and I stared unseeingly into the last dying embers of the fire as a single tear ran down my cheek.

Oh but she was alive! Dear Elenna, alive and whole!

I was delirious with joy. The feeling that had been building within me the moment that adar declared that my Elenna was alive and well in Lothlorien with daernaneth had been escalading higher and higher in the past month, in fearful anticipation of her coming.

It has been a thousand years, but I was finally going to see her again! My beloved sister, you are alive!

The sound of her laughter earlier this night, chuckling mirthfully at our pestering of Haldir, filled my heart with inexplicable joy.

I laughed out loud to no one in particular, breaking into tears of joy.

Then I heard a soft pattering of feet from the doorway behind me and I turned to see Elenna, dressed in a white nightgown, standing barefoot in the room behind me.

"You are crying Elladan." She stated matter-of-factly.

I laughed again, wiping away the tears from my face, and rising to meet her.

"You should be resting Elenna, go back to bed or else Haldir will have my head." I said, smiling.

"I am not tired anymore Elladan, I have slept for four hours already. It is near dawn." She said, settling herself down on a couch by the fire. I walked to the fireplace and piled more logs onto the fire, stoking it back to life.

"Why are you crying Elladan?" she asked softly, as I settled myself into the chair opposite her. "Are you not happy to see me?"

I looked at her tenderly, the tears threatening once again to overflow.

"Of course I am glad to see you Elenna!" I exclaimed quietly, "I have waited for this moment for a thousand years, to see you alive and whole and well."

"Elenna you have no idea how much I have missed you." I added softly, seeing the appeased look on her face.

"Come now, brother." She said smiling, reaching across to take my hands in her own. "Do no look so sorrowful. I am here, and that is all that matters."

For a moment we just sat smiling at each other, the fire in the fireplace crackling pleasantly, casting our long shadows across the room. For a moment, I believed that I was the happiest ellon in the world – my little sister was alive! And here she was sitting across from me, the picture of beauty, holding my hand comfortingly in her own.

"Elenna, you have grown so much." I said, almost tempted to pinch myself to see if this was only a dream, or in fact reality. "Grown so much more wiser and more beautiful than ever."

Elenna laughed, in that delightful way of hers that I had always remembered in my mind.

"Well of course, Elladan." She replied, laughing, "Did you expect me to remain forever that little girl I was a thousand years ago?"

I laughed. Her laugher was infectious, and filled my heart with happiness, wiping away all the years of sorrow and grief, which had lain heavily upon my shoulders.

We talked long into the early hours of the morning, until the sun shone brightly through the open window and cast its light in a pool on the woven carpet. And finally, exhausted at last of our long winding talks, we fell asleep together on the couches by the fire; Elenna curled up tightly in a ball in my arms, the jewelled pendant resting snugly upon her breast.

* * *

_Notes:_

_Daernaneth – grandmother  
Daeradar – grandfather  
Namárië – farewell  
Muindor – brother_

* * *

**After more than year of being in limbo, this story has FINALLY taken off again. I hope you guys are still sticking around to read it. And if you could review, it may just convince me to write faster... cheerios!  
**


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